April 16 (UPI) — South African authorities said Wednesday they have rescued a 45-year-old American pastor who was kidnapped last week.
The pastor has been identified by his Tennessee-based Fellowship Baptist Church as Josh Sullivan. He was kidnapped at gunpoint by six men during church service on Thursday.
The South African Police Service said in a statement Wednesday that Sullivan was rescued by its Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation team known as Hawks following a “high-intensity shootout” with three unidentified suspects who who were fatally shot at scene.
According to authorities, the shootout occurred as police arrived at the suspected safe house in the southeastern South African city of Gqeberha.
The suspects opened fire on the officers as they attempted to flee.
“The officers responded with tactictical precision,” Lt. Col. Avele Fumba said.
Sullivan was discovered inside the vehicle “miraculously unharmed,” Fumba added.
The American missionary was assessed by medical personnel and is considered to be “in an excellent condition,” according to the lieutenant colonel.
“Praise the Lord!” the Fellowship Baptist Church said on Facebook following the news of Sullivan’s rescue.
According to his personal website, Sullivan considers himself “a church planting missionary to the country of South Africa.”
The U.S. State Department advises Americans traveling to South Africa to exercise “increased caution … due to crime, civil unrest and kidnapping.”
“There is a threat of kidnapping across South Africa,” the advisory, updated in November, states. “In the past kidnappers have targeted U.S. citizens and other foreign travelers. Criminals kidnap individuals for financial gain, often forcing victims to withdraw money and provide passwords for online accounts before releasing them.”
Kidnappings in South Africa have surged by 264% over the last decade, according to statistics from the national authorities.