CAPE TOWN, South Africa (21 June 2007) -- "It is only a prayer that carried us through the crisis," Nathali Smit of Gordon's Bay said on Tuesday. Her husband, Du Plooy Smit (37), commercial diver, was held hostage by rebels in the Niger-Delta for 18 days, before he was released last Tuesday and returned to South Africa on Thursday. The couple and their parents believe his release and safe return was due to divine intervention. "One needs strong faith to keep standing in such a crisis," Nathali said during an interview at their mountainside home in Strelitzia Street, overlooking False Bay, on Tuesday. "Prayer groups were formed across the country and everyone prayed. My dad (Pastor Eben Roux) and his church (Oasis Helderberg) prayed, as did Du Plooy's mum, Corrie Smit and her church in Hermanus. People even prayed for him in the Roman Catholic church in Hermanus where his friend, Gary Whiting, is a member." After her husband's kidnapping by rebels she feared he was dead. She did not hear from him until the tenth day when the rebels allowed him to phone her. "I then knew he would be alright." Du Plooy, overwhelmed by media attention after his safe return, spoke of his immense relief when his plane landed at Cape Town airport and seeing the Cape coastline through his window. He had been away from home for 100 days. "I was so happy, I felt I could jump out of the aircraft." He had been on an off-shore oil industry vessel when on May 25 at 10:00, he and 12 other people, including Britons and Americans were kidnapped. They heard gun shots and, anticipating his departure, Du Plooy quickly brush his teeth, before their vessel was hijacked and shot to pieces by the rebels, who arrived in high-powered speed boats. Surprisingly, only one of them sustained a flesh wound from shrapnel. The hostages were transported by boat through a swamp to a forest camp, arriving there at midnight. During their nightmare 18-days of captivity, they were plagued by mosquitos, fed mainly pasta and even offered dog meat to eat. They were also threatened time and again by drunk, gun-toting rebels, who would shove cocked guns into their faces, or wildly fire shots in the air. "Maybe they've watched to many videos or DVD's," Du Plooy said. He was not sure if he would live to see his wife and children, Jordyn (6) and Sebastian (2), again. At the end of May, the rebels one day brought him a newspaper and showed him an article in which their spokesman had warned that all the hostages would be killed if an ally in prison was not released. He said the rebels were members of MEND (Militants for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta) and demanded $3,8-million (about R27-million) for the release of the hostages. They claimed they wanted the money to build new roads, schools and hospitals, but to him it seemed that the taking of hostages was rather part of some sort of a power struggle. | | MEND rebel The irony, Du Plooy says, is that the oil company he worked for, contractor and company that hired the divers were all from Nigeria. "We were sitting ducks. As a white man, I am not able to get work in my own country. But divers are sought throughout the world. I could've gone anywhere, but I chose Nigeria." In the end, all the hostages were released. No hostage money exchanged hands, or so the Nigerian government has claimed. Du Plooy has no plans to stop diving. "I don't want a nine-to-five job, sit in traffic daily, and have 21 days leave a year," he said. He acknowledges that diving is dangerous. "It is like driving in a car at 200 km/h. It is exhilarating, as long as nothing goes wrong,. But when it does, it can be hair-raising. But there are more pro's than con's," he says. Divers earn up to $475 (R3 400) per day overseas, but it is hard work with 12-hour shifts, seven days per week for three months, with a month-long holiday in between. "While meditating under the trees at the hostage camp, I realised that I had spent less than two of the past six years at home, and had not once taken my family away on holiday during that time. "My whole outlook on life has changed. One has to live for every day. I won't keep that bottle of red wine for a special occasion anymore. We've always wanted to go to the Victoria Falls and today we went to look at some brochures." As for work, Du Plooy intends to enjoy his month's rest and then has a job lined up in Saudi Arabia. "I will go anywhere in the world, but never back to Nigeria," he says. SOURCE - DistrictMailSCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba Forum |
