Ep 8. Colombian Kidnap

In season 6 episode 8 of Locked Up Abroad, titled Colombian Kidnap, viewers are taken on a journey with Brenton Whittle who was left stranded and penniless in a foreign country.

Brenton Whittle, a 27-year-old Australian, had always dreamed of travelling the world and experiencing different cultures. So, when he was offered the chance to work as a deckhand on a yacht travelling from Panama to Ecuador, he jumped at the opportunity.

Things started well enough with the crew welcoming him and he even got to learn some sailing basics. However, his experience took a dramatic and terrifying turn when the yacht encountered engine trouble in the mangroves of Colombia’s Gulf of Uraba. Deciding to send their chief engineer in search of parts, they expected him to return speedily. But instead, things took a turn for the worse when the engineer was kidnapped and held hostage for a ransom.

As the days wore on with no news of their colleague, Brenton and the rest of the crew began to run low on food and water. They became increasingly vulnerable and fearful, knowing that they too could be kidnapped and held for ransom.

With no other options, the yacht’s captain made the difficult decision to call for help. However, their distress call was intercepted by Colombian pirates, who had been working in the area, and before they knew it, they too were held hostage.

The pirates, a ruthless and armed group, took Brenton and the crew to their base in the middle of nowhere. The hostages were forced to live in terrible conditions, sleeping on the wet floor with little food or water. They were constantly watched by the pirates who seemed to be enjoying their predicament.

For Brenton, this was a truly terrifying experience. He'd heard all the horror stories but never expected to become a victim of the country's criminal underworld. The only thing he could do was stick together with his fellow crew members and pray for any chance of someone coming to their rescue.

Despite the odds, they continued to cling to hope and survive the increasingly difficult situation. With no promise of release, they were at a loss of what to do.

In 'Colombian Kidnap', viewers will witness the harrowing experience of Brenton and his fellow crew members, in a gripping tale of fear, danger, and survival. They will experience the anxiety and desperation that the hostages faced and be taken on a journey of emotions as they fight to stay alive and hope for a way out of their nightmare.

The episode provides a harrowing and personal account of the kidnapping, and shines a light on the terrifying realities of extortion and kidnapping in Colombia and the wider world. It is a testament to the human spirit in difficult and seemingly hopeless situations, and showcases the resilience of the human spirit in the face of such adversity.