A Seychellois citizen has been safely returned to her family on Tuesday after being held captive by kidnappers for three days in South Africa. Her release was secured by the South African Police Services (SAPS) in an operation coordinated by the Gauteng Hostage and Crisis Negotiators centre with assistance from Interpol, the Seychelles Police Services (SPS) and the Seychelles embassy in Pretoria.

Authorities were alerted to the 33-year old woman’s abduction after she called her parents to inform them that she was being held for a ransom of 100,000 rands, having arrived in South Africa on the 9^th of October. The exact circumstances of her kidnapping are the subject of an ongoing investigation by the SAPS and the SPS.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Seychelles police advise that all Seychellois citizens remain vigilant when travelling abroad, making sure to inform relatives and acquaintances of their whereabouts and who they are meeting and to also exercise caution when interacting with individuals on the internet.

The Seychelles government is deeply thankful to the South African authorities for its assistance in the matter and commended the collaboration of the two national police forces in safely returning the Seychellois citizen.