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CNN Saturday Morning News
Man escapes Colombian Kidnappers
Aired September 27, 2003 - 09:28 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: It's an amazing tale of captivity and a daring dash for freedom. A group of tourists has been held hostage in Colombia's jungle. But one man managed to escape.
Our Paula Hancocks brings us his story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tired but clearly delighted, Matthew Scott is back in his parents' arms. Matthew flew back into Heathrow Friday afternoon after being kidnapped, along with seven others, by guerrillas in the Sierra Nevada mountains. He's told authorities he fled his captors by jumping from a cliff into a river and spent 12 days alone in the jungle before being found by the indigenous people of the area.
MATTHEW SCOTT, ESCAPED HOSTAGE: I'm so grateful to be back in England. I'm happy to be back with my family. I'm looking forward to university. I'm going to be just fine.
HANCOCKS: Officials are now hoping any information he can give will help track down the other hostages -- another Brit, a German, a Spaniard, and four Israelis are still being held.
SCOTT: I'm very concerned about Mark Henderson and the other hostages. They were -- they're not just names and faces to me. I traveled with these people. They're my companions, my friends.
HANCOCKS: Colombia is considered to be the kidnap capital of the world, with 3,000 people being taken hostage every year, the equivalent of one kidnap every three hours.
MAYA CATSANIS, LONELY PLANET: Travelers should investigate thoroughly which parts of the country they want to go to. They should talk to locals when they get there. They should stay on top of the news and current events. They should limit their travel by road. If they do travel on the road, they should travel by bus.
HANCOCKS: It was an emotional reunion for Matthew with his family. And as if the media attention wasn't overwhelming enough, the 19-year-old bumped into Paul McCartney at Heathrow, who stopped to welcome him home.
(on camera): So Matthew Scott is safely back in his south London home now. His father is asking for privacy so that he can come to terms with his ordeal. As for Matthew, he said life is looking pretty good at the moment. And his main plan for this evening is to sleep in his hammock.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired September 27, 2003 - 09:28 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: It's an amazing tale of captivity and a daring dash for freedom. A group of tourists has been held hostage in Colombia's jungle. But one man managed to escape.
Our Paula Hancocks brings us his story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tired but clearly delighted, Matthew Scott is back in his parents' arms. Matthew flew back into Heathrow Friday afternoon after being kidnapped, along with seven others, by guerrillas in the Sierra Nevada mountains. He's told authorities he fled his captors by jumping from a cliff into a river and spent 12 days alone in the jungle before being found by the indigenous people of the area.
MATTHEW SCOTT, ESCAPED HOSTAGE: I'm so grateful to be back in England. I'm happy to be back with my family. I'm looking forward to university. I'm going to be just fine.
HANCOCKS: Officials are now hoping any information he can give will help track down the other hostages -- another Brit, a German, a Spaniard, and four Israelis are still being held.
SCOTT: I'm very concerned about Mark Henderson and the other hostages. They were -- they're not just names and faces to me. I traveled with these people. They're my companions, my friends.
HANCOCKS: Colombia is considered to be the kidnap capital of the world, with 3,000 people being taken hostage every year, the equivalent of one kidnap every three hours.
MAYA CATSANIS, LONELY PLANET: Travelers should investigate thoroughly which parts of the country they want to go to. They should talk to locals when they get there. They should stay on top of the news and current events. They should limit their travel by road. If they do travel on the road, they should travel by bus.
HANCOCKS: It was an emotional reunion for Matthew with his family. And as if the media attention wasn't overwhelming enough, the 19-year-old bumped into Paul McCartney at Heathrow, who stopped to welcome him home.
(on camera): So Matthew Scott is safely back in his south London home now. His father is asking for privacy so that he can come to terms with his ordeal. As for Matthew, he said life is looking pretty good at the moment. And his main plan for this evening is to sleep in his hammock.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
