(Seychelles News Agency) - The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Seychelles police are advising all Seychellois citizens to remain vigilant when travelling abroad after a Seychellois woman was kidnapped for three days in South Africa.

The woman was returned safely to her family on Tuesday.

In a statement to the press, the Foreign Affairs department called on Seychellois citizens travelling to other countries to make sure that they “inform relatives and acquaintances of their whereabouts and who they are meeting and to also exercise caution when interacting with individuals on the internet.”

The Department said the release of the 33-year old Seychellois woman held by kidnappers for three days was secured by the South African Police Services (SAPS) in an operation coordinated by the Gauteng Hostage and Crisis Negotiators centre with assistance from the Interpol, the Seychelles Police Services and the Seychelles’ embassy in Pretoria.

“Authorities were alerted to the 33-year old woman’s abduction after she called her parents to inform them that she was being held for a ransom of 100,000 rands (($7,000), having arrived in South Africa on the 9th of October. The exact circumstances of her kidnapping are the subject of an ongoing investigation by the SAPS and the SPS,” the Department added.

The Seychelles government said it is deeply thankful to the South African authorities for its assistance in the matter and commended the collaboration of the two national police forces in safely returning the Seychellois citizen.