American Airlines crew member missing during layover in Colombia, officials confirm

An American Airlines cabin crew member has gone missing during a layover in Medellin, Colombia, officials confirmed to CBS News Texas.

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n the early hours of March 22, 2026, Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina, a 32-year-old Salvadoran-American flight attendant based in Dallas-Fort Worth with American Airlines, sent a message to a friend: “See you at the hotel.” It was 2:01 AM. He never arrived.

Gutierrez had arrived in Medellín late on Saturday, March 21, on a flight from Miami for a routine crew layover. He and a female coworker, who were staying at a hotel in the Rionegro area, decided to head to the popular El Poblado neighborhood to enjoy the city’s nightlife—restaurants, bars, and clubs. The colleague returned safely to the hotel. Gutierrez did not. He was scheduled to board a return flight to Miami early Sunday morning but never showed up.

Social media posts from friends and fellow crew members describe him as a sociable, well-liked professional known as “Fer” or “Fernando.” One widely shared plea from a close friend stated that he was last seen leaving a nightclub and raised concerns that he may have been drugged and last seen with two unidentified men he met that evening. Snapchat activity around 2:45 AM reportedly showed him at a club or bar in the area. His phone’s last known ping placed him in a residential area of Medellín, with some circulating reports mentioning the Calasanz or La América neighborhood in the west of the city. Messages sent to his phone have gone undelivered, and calls fail to connect.

The timeline circulating online is sparse and often described in dramatic terms. After the 2:01 AM text, social media and unverified posts claim surveillance footage showed him walking alone down an alley near the nightclub area—then nothing. No further confirmed public sightings have emerged, no new social media activity, and frantic attempts by colleagues, family, and friends to reach him have gone unanswered. By Monday, March 24, missing person alerts began spreading rapidly across Instagram, Facebook, and aviation crew networks.

Unverified details spreading on social media include claims of possible scopolamine (known locally as “burundanga” or “devil’s breath”) involvement—a powerful sedative notorious in Colombia for allegedly rendering victims compliant or unconscious, facilitating robberies or worse. Friends’ posts and online discussions frequently mention suspicions of drugging, with some accounts stating he left the club with two unknown men. Whether any of these specifics are accurate remains unconfirmed by authorities, but they have fueled widespread concern and speculation in the aviation community.

American Airlines has stated it is actively engaged with local law enforcement in Colombia and “doing all we can to support our team member’s family during this time.” The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) told media outlets it is “actively supporting all efforts to help locate our missing colleague in Colombia.” Neither the airline nor the union has publicly released the flight attendant’s name in official statements.

Dallas police have indicated that a missing person’s report has not yet been filed with the department. The U.S. Embassy in Colombia has declined to confirm or deny details, citing federal privacy laws that prohibit comment on most individual cases. Colombian authorities, according to local reports, are investigating the disappearance, with a missing persons alert issued in Medellín.

Medellín, once known for its violent history, has reinvented itself as a vibrant tourist and business destination. El Poblado remains one of its more upscale and lively districts, popular with visitors. However, as with many nightlife areas worldwide, risks exist for travelers—particularly those on short layovers who may be unfamiliar with local nuances.

The case has sparked emotional responses online. Colleagues portray Gutierrez as dedicated and friendly, a Salvadoran immigrant who built a successful career in aviation. Family and friends have shared photos of him smiling in his American Airlines uniform or with loved ones, urging anyone with information to come forward. One widely circulated post read: “My friend Fer… has been missing for over 48 hours… This is a terrifying and urgent situation.”

As days pass without answers, online discussions raise recurring questions: Why did he separate from his coworker? Who were the men he was reportedly seen with, if true? Was the final text sent freely, or was something already wrong?

For the aviation industry, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities flight crews can face during layovers. Many attendants opt for cautious “slam-click” routines—staying secured in their hotel rooms—while others embrace exploring local culture. This case highlights how quickly a night out can turn into an international mystery.

Searches continue, with authorities reviewing available information and following leads. Friends and family continue flooding social media with appeals and his photo. Anyone with information about Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina’s whereabouts—particularly anyone who may have seen him in El Poblado or related areas in the early hours of March 22—is urged to contact local police in Medellín or relevant channels through American Airlines.

The last text at 2:01 AM—“See you at the hotel”—remains a haunting detail in the viral posts. In an age of constant connectivity, the abrupt silence has left family, friends, and colleagues anxiously waiting for resolution.

This developing story underscores broader concerns about traveler safety in nightlife scenes and the human impact when routine work travel takes a sudden, unexplained turn. As of March 26, 2026, Gutierrez remains missing, and the search continues.