Not a nice feeling for any crew and to top it all it is EG ...
Johannesburg - The department of foreign affairs has appealed to the government of Equatorial Guinea to either charge or release two South African air crew not being allowed to leave the West African country.
Sechan Pillay and Ruwaide Kalbine have been unable to leave since November 17.
They are believed to be pawns in a battle involving a string of companies involved in an aviation deal that went wrong.
It is claimed they are being held as "insurance" and that Equatorial Guinea's minister of finance is a partner in one of the companies involved in the dispute.
Foreign affairs spokesperson Nomfanela Kota said: "The department is in consultation with Equatorial Guinea so that they are not simply being kept there because of difficulties between two companies.
"We are in constant consultation with the authorities in Equatorial Guinea," she said.
Made a string of deals
Meanwhile, Pillay's sister, Nisha, is anxious for her brother and his colleague to come home.
First in the line of companies that made a string of deals was Global Aviation Leasing (GAL), which entered into a contract with Venatto Trading to fly one of its aircraft, signed through a deal with Air Quarius, said chief executive Daniel Rosenzweig.
Venatto was then contracted to fly goods for the local airline Guinea Ecuatorial de Transportes Aereos (Getra) between the country's island capital Malabo, Bata on the mainland, and Douala in neighbouring Cameroon, said Venatto managing-director Mike Commorant.
Rosenzweig said that when the aircraft had to leave Equatorial Guinea, a Venatto representative physically removed Pillay and Kalbine from the aircraft.
"He stated he would hold them as an 'insurance' pending the insurance of the aircraft," said Rosenzweig.
"Crew cannot be a negotiating chip. This is reprehensible."
The story was "getting twisted, said Commorant, who added that the allegation was "totally incorrect" and that on Monday morning he was to meet with Air Quarius to sort things out.
"Our contract is with Air Quarius," he said.
He said he had battled to meet Rosenzweig.
Nonetheless, Commorant believed the issue would be resolved.
"It is not a big issue. I am sure it will all be resolved by the close of business today (on Monday)."
On Monday afternoon, Commorant could not be reached for comment.
Rosenzweig said his company was dealing directly with the department of foreign affairs. "All we want is our crew back," he said.
Flying hazardous materials
Rosenzweig said that Getra - in which Equatorial Guinea's finance minister had a stake - had been flying hazardous materials, arms and ammunition and acting in breach of safety regulations.
The aircraft had left the country to have its brakes repaired, said Rosenzweig.
Pillay also said that while her family appreciated the foreign affairs support, they felt that GAL, which employed the two, should be doing more to resolve the dispute and ensure their safe return.