praying for a publicity stunt - part 2

Sunday, June 12: The crew has been found.

Last night on the news, I saw this story of a team of filmmakers who have disappeared in Namibia. They were working on a documentary about witchcraft, when they were cursed by a witch, began to experience various mechanical problems, and eventually were abandoned in the desert due to a miscommunication. When I tried to look into the story further, I couldn't find any more information, and Google kept posting link after link to the Blair Witch Project.

Los Angeles publicist Sherri Spillane identified the missing as Los Angeles pilot Christopher Banninger; British-born businessman Mike Edson; Russian actor Oleg Taktarov; South African athlete K.J. Lodge; and a sex therapist and radio host who goes by the name of Natasha Terry. The five were brought by helicopter to a camping area on Friday and were supposed to be picked up the following day, said Spillane, ex-wife of crime writer Mickey Spillane.

Due to a "mis-communication," the helicopter pilot did not arrive until Sunday, she said.

When the pilot did show up, he "found a note in a bag saying (the campers) were headed west toward the coast," presumably on foot, Spillane said.

The pilot described the region as "the hottest area they could possibly go to," she said.

Later: See also AllAfrica.com (where a Namibian police representative claims to have not heard of the case) and Interfax, but for the most part, there is still very little web coverage of this case a week later.