- Colin Armstrong was taken from his residence in Ecuador by gangsters
- His son Nick has flown to central America to trace his lacking father down
- He is alleged to have an intensive community of contacts he’ll use to do that
The son of a millionaire British businessman and former honorary consul kidnapped by gangsters in Ecuador has flown to central America to assist observe him down.
Colin Armstong, 78, was snatched by a gang from the posh residence he shares along with his glamorous Colombian girlfriend Katherine Paola Santos, on Saturday.
His son Nick Armstrong, who helps run the household property in North Yorkshire, has dashed to Ecuador to assist police find his father who has not been seen or heard from since his abduction.
Father and son are administrators of the 500-acre Tupgill Park Estate close to Leyburn in north Yorkshire, which has been the household residence for greater than 45 years.
On Monday there was no reply on the home Colin has there and at a close-by cottage the place Nick – a director of close by Ripon racecourse – lives.
Colin’s daughter Diana Armstrong-Bruns, an property agent based mostly in California, (pictured) advised MailOnline: ’This is a crucial time, we’ve been advised to not say something to anybody. We simply need my father again.’
The couple seem collectively on a safari vacation on this image earlier than their reported abduction
Colin Armstrong, 78, and associate Katherine Paola Santos are pictured collectively in Jamaica
Mr Armstrong headed the British Consulate within the Ecuadorian port metropolis of Guayaquil and has been honoured by the late Queen for his providers to his nation
A supply mentioned: ‘Nick is overseas coping with what’s going on. We don’t know way more about it than we’ve seen.’
Meanwhile Colin’s daughter Diana Armstrong-Bruns, an property agent based mostly in California, advised MailOnline: ’This is a crucial time, we’ve been advised to not say something to anybody. We simply need my father again.’
When requested if her brother was heading to Ecuador she mentioned: ‘I actually can’t say the rest, we’ve been advised to not converse to anybody.’
Nick is believed to have an intensive community of contacts in Ecuador and can use them to attempt to assist safe the discharge of his after.
The rich businessman was snatched by as much as 15 masked males reportedly disguised as cops earlier than being pushed away of their black BMW which was later discovered deserted by the roadside.
Mr Armstrong, who headed the British Consulate within the Ecuadorian port metropolis of Guayaquil, is pictured on a safari earlier than his abduction
Colin Armstrong, 78, and associate Katherine Paola Santos are pictured collectively
Pictures on TikTok present rich businessman Colin Armstrong, 78, and associate Katherine Paola Santos having fun with a jet-set way of life previous to their kidnapping on Saturday
Local cops confirmed Mr Armstrong had been kidnapped, which comes amid a pointy rise in drug-related violence in elements of Ecuador.
Chilling footage posted on-line present the abductors left a blood-stained path behind after ransacking Mr Armstrong’s distant ranch within the province of Los Rios.
It has not been reported {that a} ransom has been demanded and Mr Armstrong’s destiny stays unknown.
Mr Armstrong headed the British Consulate within the Ecuadorian port metropolis of Guayaquil and has been honoured by the late Queen for his providers to his nation.
Video reportedly taken contained in the property often called Rancho Rodeo Grande exhibits the aftermath of the assault.
The kidnap is alleged to have occurred within the early hours on Saturday morning.
A bomb risk reportedly linked to the kidnapping was later reported close by.
A message from the police on X, the previous Twitter, mentioned officers have been finishing up ‘operational and investigative work’ in reference to the case.
Pictures on TikTok present rich businessman Colin Armstrong, 78, and associate Katherine Paola Santos having fun with a jet-set way of life previous to their kidnapping on Saturday
British businessman Colin Armstrong and his girlfriend are pictured collectively earlier than their reported kidnapped from their residence in Ecuador
There are additionally photos of the smiling couple on horseback and posing in entrance of Egyptian pyramids (pictured)
Mr Armstrong owns the five hundred acre Tupgill Park Estate in North Yorkshire, which was his childhood residence.
The property now welcomes greater than 150,000 guests a 12 months to an attraction often called the Forgotten Corner which was initially constructed as a non-public folly.
Mr Armstrong – who is believed to have beforehand been married to an Ecuadorian lady – has had an extended affiliation with the South America nation the place he owns Agripac, a big agricultural provide firm which he based in 1972.
His adopted son Leo Morris helps run a restaurant on the household’s Yorkshire property.
Mr Armstrong was awarded an OBE and CMG by the late Queen in 2011.
Footage purporting to indicate the aftermath of the kidnap went on-line shortly after it occurred.
Pictures on TikTok present rich businessman Colin Armstrong, 78, and associate Katherine Paola Santos having fun with a jet-set way of life previous to their kidnapping on Saturday
A lady filming contained in the ranch took close-up photographs of damaged plates on the ground and a person holding his head.
She then walked into one of many bedrooms the place there was blood on the bedsheets and the ground.
As she centered in on the stained sheets, she is reported to have mentioned: ‘This is the place they hit him. My God what is that this!’
The honorary consul’s automotive, a black BMW the kidnap victims are mentioned to have been pushed away in, has reportedly been discovered deserted on the highway between Baba and the close by city of Salitre.
The kidnap is known to have occurred round 2.45am native time on Saturday morning at Mr Armstrong’s ranch referred to as Rancho Rodeo Grande.