Brad Schlenker and co-pilot Fabio Espinal Nunez were detained in Guinea after what they say was a routine refueling stop while flying from Suriname to Dubai. Schlenker says he has been in Guinea for 112 days, spending about two-and-a-half months in prison and now under hotel house arrest as the case proceeds. He claims the aircraft was searched multiple times with no contraband found and is urging greater U.S. government action. The State Department says it is engaged behind the scenes and has visited the pilots.
American Pilot Says He’s Been Trapped in Guinea for 112 Days, Urges Stronger U.S. Action
Pilot Brad SchlenkerCredit: CBS News
Brad Schlenker, a Chicago-area pilot, says he has been unable to return to the United States after a December refueling stop in Guinea turned into a prolonged legal ordeal. Schlenker and his co-pilot, Fabio Espinal Nunez of New Jersey, were detained while flying a private jet carrying a Brazilian family from Suriname to Dubai.
Detention and Current Status
Schlenker told CBS News Chicago that he has been in Guinea for 112 days. He says he spent roughly two-and-a-half months in a local prison before being released on bail and placed under hotel house arrest while the criminal case continues.
Claims About the Stop
According to a flight log shared with CBS News New York, the pilots had clearance to land. "We received our clearance, we took off, we showed up over here, talked to the tower, talked to [air traffic control] – bottom line is they cleared us to land," Schlenker said.
Signage for the U.S. State DepartmentCredit: JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty
"One moment, I'm flying a nice airplane, staying in nice hotels all around the world, and the next I'm in a Guinea prison."
Schlenker says the aircraft was confronted by armed military personnel on arrival and that authorities searched the plane multiple times — he has said it was searched five times — without finding contraband. The pilots were subsequently accused of violating national security laws by Guinean authorities.
Legal Help and Appeals for U.S. Support
Schlenker described the local judicial environment as opaque and said he is relying heavily on family in Chicago for legal and financial assistance. "Without family, I'd be in a lot of trouble," he said. He has publicly called on U.S. federal officials to do more to help secure the pilots' return.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson told the press that officials are "engaged behind the scenes" and that U.S. personnel have visited the pilots during their detention. People magazine has reached out to the White House, the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Guinea for further comment.
Schlenker says he has an upcoming court date and is hoping for a favorable outcome that will allow him and his co-pilot to return home.
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