Eric Arthur Rescued After Captivity in Venezuela

Eric Arthur, a retired American businessman, faced a harrowing ordeal after his yacht, Tambo, ran aground near Venezuela. Following a prior encounter with the Venezuelan Coast Guard, he fell asleep at the wheel and his boat sank on January 6. After drifting for three days and sending SOS messages, he was rescued by fishermen but handed over to Venezuelan military authorities. Instead of freedom, Arthur was coerced into filming a propaganda video thanking President Nicolás Maduro, which he refused, leading to his detention. He was subsequently moved to a military commander's house under virtual house arrest before ultimately being imprisoned in Caracas without charges. Arthur's plight concluded when a deal facilitated by the Trump administration resulted in his release.