Safe and sound. Telemundo star Alejandro Sandí was rescued by Mexican authorities one day after his vehicle was hijacked by robbers on Sunday, November 24.
According to the Mexico Daily News, the 37-year-old actor and a French tourist were kidnapped near Nevado de Toluca, a popular hiking destination near Mexico City. The second man was later identified as Frederic Michel, who was riding with a friend in a Toyota truck when the robbers approached and seized the vehicle.
A police report obtained by the outlet confirms that the two men were traveling separately. The actor had almost reached the top of the mountain in his SUV when the robbers stopped his car at around 8:45 on Sunday morning.
Sandí’s travel companions, actresses Vanessa Arias and Esmeralda Ugalde, told the police that they had been forced out of the vehicle by the abductors before they sped off with the El Señor de los Cielos actor still inside.
Shortly after the incident occurred on Sunday, the two women issued a heartfelt plea in a video posted to Ugalde’s Instagram and confirmed their own safety after describing what had happened. “Esperamos que nuestro amigo esté con nosotros pronto,” Ugalde captioned the video, saying they hoped their friend would be back with them soon.
“They took everything. They took my truck. Our bags. Our phones,” the women said in Spanish. “The material things don’t matter to us, what matters is that we were victims and felt unsafe … We’re asking for your prayers so he can come back home safe.”
A search effort was led by the National Guard and state and local authorities to ensure the safety of the abductees. Upon their rescue, Mexican officials said in a press release, “After becoming aware of the fact, communication was established with the French Embassy, and research and intelligence work was carried out for the location of the victims, who once released, received the corresponding attention.”
According to a report by the National Public Security System in Mexico, there were 1,273 reported kidnappings from January to October 2018. This year, 1,392 cases have been filed.
