Colombian Mayor Announces Body Found in Search for Missing US Flight Attendant
A body was discovered during a search for an American Airlines flight attendant who went missing during a layover in Medellin, Colombia, according to the city’s mayor. Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina, 32, a U.S. citizen and resident of North Texas, disappeared on Saturday evening after spending the night out with a fellow flight attendant. The two attended a bar in Medellin’s El Poblado neighborhood, a popular area for international tourists, as reported by family, friends, and Colombian officials.
Gutierrez Molina was scheduled to work on a return flight from Medellín to Miami on Sunday. His longtime partner, Ernesto Carranza, shared with CBS News that he became concerned when he couldn’t reach him on Sunday morning.
Fico Gutierrez, the mayor of Medellin, announced on Friday that a “lifeless body” was found between the municipalities of Jerico and Puente Iglesias during the search for Gutierrez Molina. “There is a very high probability that it is this person,” he said in a social media post. He added that the body is being sent to the coroner’s office in Medellin for identification. “We express our solidarity to his family and friends. I have just personally delivered the painful news to his father, who is in Medellin.”
Fico Gutierrez mentioned that an investigation is currently underway. However, additional details were not immediately available.
In an internal memo sent to American Airlines flight attendants on Saturday, the airline expressed that they were “heartbroken to share the news” of Gutierrez Molina’s death. However, there was no confirmation from Colombian authorities about whether the body found was indeed his. The airline stated it was “actively engaged” with Colombian authorities as the investigation continues.
“We are also doing everything we can to support his family as they mourn the loss of their son and brother and return him home to be laid to rest,” the airline said. “Our thoughts are with our colleague, his loved ones, and the entire flight attendant team during this very difficult time.”
Carranza told CBS News that, after failing to reach Gutierrez Molina, his phone appeared to be pinging to two locations in Medellin that were not near his hotel. “Both locations were nowhere near where he was supposed to sleep for the night,” Carranza said.
Adding to the mystery was the fact that the other flight attendant who went out with Gutierrez Molina on Saturday could not remember parts of the night, according to his friend, Sharom Gil, who spoke with CBS News.
In a statement provided to CBS News Texas, American Airlines said it was “actively engaged with local law enforcement officials in their investigation and doing all we can to support our team member’s family during this time.”
When contacted by CBS News Texas, the U.S. Embassy in Colombia stated it was “restricted from speaking about most individual cases due to federal privacy laws.”
The State Department also issued a statement to CBS News Texas, confirming it was “aware” of “reports” of Gutierrez Molina’s disappearance and was “closely tracking the situation.”
“The Trump Administration has no greater priority than the safety and security of Americans, and the State Department stands ready to provide all consular assistance to Americans in need abroad,” the State Department said Thursday.
