American Pilots TRAPPED in African Coup Hell – Beg Trump For Help

Two seasoned American pilots face indefinite detention in a coup-ridden African nation after a routine fuel stop turned into a nightmare arrest, exposing the razor-thin line between global aviation norms and raw sovereign power.

Story Snapshot

Brad Schlenker from Illinois and Fabio Espinal Nunez from New Jersey detained since December 30, 2025, at Conakry’s Ahmed Sékou Touré International Airport.
Pilots claim three air traffic clearances for landing; Guinea charges unauthorized airspace entry on a private Gulfstream IV flight from Suriname to Dubai.
Guinea’s post-2021 military coup environment raises due process red flags, with reports of military blocking court-approved bail.
Families plead for U.S. intervention, including from President Trump, amid limited State Department leverage.
Case spotlights aviation clearance gaps, stranding pilots and aircraft in harsh conditions.

Disputed Landing Sparks Detention

Fabio Espinal Nunez and Brad Schlenker piloted a Brazilian-owned Gulfstream IV for a quick refuel at Conakry airport on December 30, 2025. They radioed Guinea air traffic control three times and received landing approval each instance. Upon touchdown, 100 heavily armed troops swarmed the jet, searched it thoroughly, and arrested the crew. Guinean officials later filed charges of illegal entry into national airspace, ignoring the pilots’ logged clearances. This clash reveals how verbal ATC approvals can vanish under local scrutiny.

Guinea’s Post-Coup Justice System Unravels

Guinea’s 2021 military coup dismantled civilian oversight, leaving security forces prone to arbitrary actions. Human Rights Watch documents weak judicial transparency, especially for foreigners. An appellate court greenlit the pilots’ bail release, but military figures allegedly overrode it, trapping them longer. Families report sparse food, scant medical aid, yet daily calls and preferential treatment due to U.S. citizenship. Such institutional friction aligns with State Department warnings on unrest and erratic enforcement, underscoring why American conservatives prioritize strong diplomacy to shield citizens abroad.

Seasoned Pilots Caught in Procedural Trap

Brad Schlenker brings 40 years of experience from Illinois; Fabio Espinal Nunez hails from New Jersey with equal professionalism. They flew a private business jet, not a commercial or military craft, following standard international routes. Unaware of Guinea’s obscure special permit, they relied on real-time ATC vectors. Aviation experts call this a documentation interpretation rift, not espionage. The Chicago Convention balances airspace sovereignty with coordination protocols, yet Guinea enforced absolute control post-landing. Common sense demands clearer global standards to avert such traps for pros.

Legal teams lodged a Supreme Court appeal by February 10, 2026. Charges persist without resolution as of February 19. Families supply external necessities, but pilots endure over seven weeks detained. This procedural limbo highlights vulnerabilities in West African ops.

They need your help @POTUS
Two U.S. Pilots ILLEGALLY ARRESTED in West Africa During Routine Fuel Stop Beg President Trump for Immediate Help | The Gateway Pundit | by Jim Hᴏft https://t.co/3PLVJqZnYL

— Fleabug (@MFleabug) February 19, 2026

Families Rally for High-Level Rescue

Schlenker’s fiancée and relatives bombarded the U.S. Embassy, Congress members, and governors with pleas. They eye White House pressure, specifically invoking President Trump’s direct aid for swift extraction. State Department offers consular visits, legal lists, and communication aid but stops short of court meddling per Vienna Convention rules. Brazilian owners suffer aircraft grounding losses. Families voice exasperation at slow diplomacy, a frustration echoing conservative calls for assertive U.S. leverage against unstable regimes.

Aviation Risks and Broader Fallout

The saga disrupts business aviation, prompting route reevaluations in opaque jurisdictions. Outcomes could reshape clearance protocols, urging digital logs over voice alone. Pilots face career derailment, mental strain; the jet idles, costing fortunes. U.S.-Guinea ties strain under limited intervention tools. Industry buzz frames it as life-altering fallout from routine ops colliding with sovereignty. Conservative principles affirm pilots’ innocence claims backed by procedure, demanding accountability over unchecked power.