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| Latin America |
| Briton flees Colombia kidnap |
| 2003-09-24 |
| One out, seven to go. EFL The Colombian Army says it has picked up a British tourist who escaped from kidnappers after two weeks in the jungle. Army commander General Carlos Ospina told Colombian local radio that London-born Matthew Scott, 19, was found by Indians in the Sierra Nevada mountains and taken to authorities. The British Foreign Office confirmed that Mr Scott had escaped his captors. There was no word on the other abducted trekkers - another Briton, four Israelis, a Spaniard and a German - who were taken hostage on 12 September. Mr Scott’s family said they understood he was now in an army camp receiving medical treatment. "We are absolutely delighted that he is safe and well after walking for 12 days and we can’t wait to see him," his sister Sophie said, in a statement on behalf of the family. General Ospina said a doctor was examining Mr Scott who was apparently "very exhausted", news agency AFP reported. One of Mr Scott’s Indian rescuers told local television: "He was dizzy and vomiting. Since he barely spoke Spanish, he didn’t tell me what was wrong with him." Based on Scott’s information, the military commander leading the hunt will be able to "readjust" the search, the general said. Earlier on Wednesday, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe blamed the Cuban-inspired National Liberation Army for the kidnapping. The rebels use ransom money to finance a four-decade-old guerrilla war. Well done, Matt! |
| Posted by:Bulldog |
| #2 What the hell is the Columbian Army doing wandering around in California? (Which is where the Sierra Nevada mountain range is.) They must be lining up to get their Drivers Licenses..... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2003-9-24 7:36:43 PM |
| #1 How the hell did he make it into the Sierra Nevada mountains? Last I checked, the mountains in Columbia were the Andes... Must've been a hell of a walk. |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-9-24 6:05:48 PM |