Two American citizens are fighting for their lives inside a West African hellhole while their own government shamefully abandons them to rot. Pilots Brad Schlenker from Chicago and Fabio Espinel Nunez from New Jersey have now spent 45 days imprisoned in Guinea—not for committing crimes, but for the simple act of refueling their aircraft during a legal charter flight.
The nightmare escalated dramatically when Brad called his brother during an active prison riot, describing in chilling detail how military forces opened fire with live ammunition for 15-20 minutes, killing approximately 35 inmates while bullets struck the building housing the Americans.
Routine Flight Becomes International Hostage Crisis
What began as a standard private charter from Suriname to Dubai for a Brazilian family turned into an armed siege the moment their wheels touched down in Conakry. Despite receiving clearance THREE separate times and filing proper international flight plans, over 100 Guinean soldiers surrounded their aircraft with AK-47s drawn and armored vehicles rolling in.
"They pressed wet cloth over their faces to breathe" as tear gas flooded their cell block during the massacre, according to exclusive audio obtained by Next News Network's Gary Franchi. When the shooting stopped, survivors from destroyed cell blocks were crammed into the Americans' already overcrowded rooms.
"Brad recorded a message directly to President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio begging them to intervene," the raw audio reveals the desperation of abandoned American citizens.
Here's the kicker that should enrage every patriotic American: Guinea's own civil courts have ordered these pilots released THREE TIMES. Three separate judges cleared them, yet the military junta ignores their own legal system while our State Department twiddles their thumbs.
Where Is American Power When Citizens Need It?
The U.S. Embassy in Conakry operates without an ambassador—just junior staffers with zero negotiating authority. Meanwhile, Brad's family has hemorrhaged thousands in "fines" and "bail" payments that vanish into corrupt military pockets demanding ever more cash.
Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman claims her office is "looking into it." Congressman John McGuire has "contacted" the State Department. The White House press office sent an acknowledgment but no action. This is the pathetic response to American citizens under fire in a foreign prison riot.
One phone call from President Trump could end this nightmare tonight. Instead, we're watching the slow-motion abandonment of Americans who trusted their government would protect them abroad. How many more citizens must suffer while bureaucrats shuffle papers and offer empty promises?