FORT WORTH, TEXAS— An American Airlines (AA) flight attendant based at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has gone missing during a crew layover in Medellín (MDE), Colombia, with growing concerns he may have been kidnapped.
Fernando Gutierrez was on an overnight layover on Saturday when he visited a nightclub in the Poblado neighborhood with a fellow crew member. His colleague made it back safely to the crew hotel, but Gutierrez continued to socialise with two men he had met at the venue and has not been seen or heard from since, PYOK reported.
American Airlines Attendant Disappears in Colombia
American Airlines is working with U.S. government officials in Colombia to locate Gutierrez, and police in Dallas have also been alerted to the disappearance.
Gutierrez had been actively posting videos to his Snapchat while at the nightclub, but his social media accounts went silent shortly after, and friends have been unable to reach him since.
Originally from El Salvador, Gutierrez speaks Spanish but has no known close ties to Medellín. He was last seen in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The search effort reportedly faced an early setback, as local Colombian authorities initially declined to file a missing persons report until at least 24 hours had passed since he was last contacted.
The Devil’s Breath Threat in Colombia
Investigators and those close to Gutierrez fear he may have been a victim of scopolamine, a drug widely known as “Devil’s Breath.” In medicine, scopolamine is used to prevent motion sickness and nausea. Still, it has gained a dark reputation as a substance that can erase memory, strip away free will, and facilitate serious crimes.
Scopolamine is most often administered in liquid or powder form in foods and beverages, and the majority of incidents occur in nightclubs and bars. Men perceived as wealthy are frequently targeted, often by people they meet socially.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombia has warned that scopolamine can render a victim unconscious for over 24 hours, with unofficial estimates suggesting around 50,000 incidents occur per year in Colombia alone. In extreme cases, the drug can cause respiratory failure and death.
Due to its colorless and tasteless nature, perpetrators can covertly administer the substance without a victim’s awareness. Victims can wake up hours or even a day later, unable to recall what transpired, their belongings stolen.
Search Efforts and Airline Response
American Airlines has confirmed it is cooperating with U.S. government officials in Colombia to locate Gutierrez. Dallas police have been notified and are monitoring the situation.
The delay in filing a formal missing persons report with Colombian local authorities has drawn criticism, as it is believed to have cost investigators valuable early hours.
Friends and colleagues of Gutierrez continue to raise awareness across social media platforms in an effort to generate leads. As of the time of writing, his whereabouts remain unknown.
Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.
Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News
