Dutch man arrested in Egypt for flying his drone. Charged with espionage.

[RuudF]

A week ago a Dutch tourist was arrested in his hotel in Egypt. He flew his drone around the hotel from the top floor where a bartender told him he would get in trouble. After he went back to his room, police came and arrested him. His family have been trying to find out where he was taken but he is nowhere to be found.

 

[Simmo]

Dutch man disappears after Egypt drone arrest

Pieter Bas Habes, a 43-year-old man from Amsterdam, disappeared after apparently being arrested in Egypt over a week ago. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is doing its "utmost" to find out where he is, the Volkskrant reports.

nltimes.nl

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Just how you would not know to not do anything like that in Egypt (as it is today) is beyond belief.
It's changed in a negative way in recent years, and if you do something silly / behave badly, there are going to be consequences if noticed.
Obviously the hotel bartender reported him.

It's still safe to travel there, but you have to be careful to always respect a countrys' laws / beliefs, and be cautious of some backwards type of administrations.

 

[Neil Reid]

Just how you would not know to not do anything like that in Egypt (as it is today) is beyond belief.
It's changed in a negative way in recent years, and if you do something silly / behave badly, there are going to be consequences if noticed.
Obviously the hotel bartender reported him.

It's still safe to travel there, but you have to be careful to always respect a countrys' laws / beliefs, and be cautious of some backwards type of administrations.

I agree with you, mate. Flying the drone in Egypt after being told by a local it was a bad idea is beyond daft. Very high penalty to pay for a few minutes of fun. Know the local rules and obey them.

 

[RuudF]

I agree with you, mate. Flying the drone in Egypt after being told by a local it was a bad idea is beyond daft. Very high penalty to pay for a few minutes of fun. Know the local rules and obey them.

Hi,
As I understand the family here who reported this: it was after the flight that the bartender told him he could get in trouble. The Dutch guy immediately returned to his room, and several hours later the police came to arrest him.
He could have made a run for it but did not do that.
Yes, Egypt has strange laws in our view.
I think it is now approximately 2 years ago that a Dutch 16 year old girl gave birth there while on holiday.
She was not allowed to travel back home because the fathers name was not known by the authorities.

 

[Paci Fista]

Hello from Kenya. I just would like to stress the point about being cautious with your drone abroad. These cameras in the air are perceived as a real threat to security in a lot of countries that experience external or internal security issues. And make no mistake, real spies find drones very useful in their craft. Thrill seeking voyagers constitute an increasing nightmare for the consular officers that will have to get them out of jail.

 

[RickinWaST]

"You do the crime, you do the time." Really! Told by by a hotel employee who is "in the know" and the guy still flies their drone? Priceless...

 

[Oldcaster]

Maybe he was a spy...

Not a very good one, but ya never know...

 

[RuudF]

Today the Egypt authorities released Mr. Habes after almost two weeks in captivity. The condition is that he immediately departs the country.
It is apparent that staff of the Osiris hotel in Cairo reported him to the police.
Let this be a lesson to all of us as pilots. What is a game and nice hobby in one country is a crime in another! Inform yourself about local regulations and laws before travelling abroad.

Ruud