“Great News”: Missing Durban Helicopter Hero Slade Thomas Found Safe After Reward Announcement
- Slade Thomas, a decorated former helicopter pilot living with Alzheimer's, has been found after going missing
- He disappeared from his Umgeni Park home in Durban on Saturday and his family had opened a missing persons report
- Private investigator Brad Nathanson warned the public that AI-generated images of Thomas were flooding in from people trying to claim the reward
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Source: Facebook
Slade Thomas, a retired Durban helicopter pilot living with Alzheimer's disease, has been found alive and in a stable condition after going missing from his home over the weekend.
The announcement came from private investigator Brad Nathanson, who confirmed on Facebook that Thomas was with a neighbourhood watch support team and that medical assistance and family members were on their way to him. The public was asked to stop searching and posting.
Thomas had last been seen leaving his home in Hunters Way, Umgeni Park, near the local SPAR centre. A missing persons report was filed at Greenwood Park police station, and his family turned to Nathanson for help, while also offering a R50,000 reward for credible information leading to his safe return.
A decorated pilot with a remarkable history
According to a report by the South African, Thomas is no ordinary former pilot. He served as a helicopter pilot in the South African Air Force, including with 15 Squadron, and accumulated more than 6,700 flying hours during his career. He later became CEO of Starlite Aviation Group in Durban.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
He is perhaps best remembered for his role in the 1991 rescue of the MTS Oceanos cruise ship, which sank near Coffee Bay on the Eastern Cape coast. For his bravery during that operation, Thomas was awarded the Air Force Cross.
AI images hampered the search
As the reward gained public attention, investigator Brad Nathanson raised the alarm about a troubling development. He warned on Facebook that his team had been flooded with AI-generated images purporting to show Thomas in various locations around Durban, submitted by individuals hoping to claim the reward money. Nathanson wrote:
"A photograph generated or manipulated by AI proves absolutely nothing about where a missing person is, whether he is alive, or whether somebody has actually seen him."
He urged the public to not make the family's situation worse by submitting false leads.
View the Facebook post here:
South Africans react to the search
South Africans were relieved to hear the news of his safe return and flooded the comments section on the page with messages:
Marlene Lennox wrote:
"Great news"
Hanelene Botha said:
"Thank you God for keeping him safe 🙏"
Sam Hulley shared:
"So happy he has been found"
Lynne Hill added:
"Prayers answered. A wonderful start to the week. Thank you to all involved"
More Briefly News stories on missing people
- A joyful video of missing Durban woman Terricia Govender surfaced after devastating floods struck Nepal during her pilgrimage to Mount Kailash.
- Durban mother continues hoping for her 33-year-old daughter’s safe return after she went missing in Nepal amid severe floods.
- Benoni matriculants face uncertainty over their final exams after being transferred to a private school later found to be unaccredited.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
