American Woman Kidnapped in Uganda Released

The American woman who was kidnapped while on safari at Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda has been returned.

Authorities said Kimberly Sue Endicott and her safari guide, Jean-Paul Mirenge Remezo of Wild Frontiers tour company, were found in "good health" Sunday on the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, NBC News reported. They'd been missing for five days.

U.S. military drones helped Ugandan security forces find the pair, according to reports. The two are being interviewed by police. Their kidnappers are on still on the run.

The captors had taken the pair at gunpoint while they were riding in a car with two other tourists on Tuesday evening. The two other tourists left and quickly contacted a camp manager who then notified authorities. The abductors then used Endicott and Remezo's cell phones to demand $500,000 ransom money, according to reports. 

Endicott and Remezo were taken back to a lodge at the park Sunday, according to reports.

"It was a negotiated handover, conducted between the Ugandan and U.S. authorities in order to return Kimberly and Jean-Paul unharmed," said Wild Frontiers.

According to Fox News, Ugandan police spokesman Fred Enanga said the kidnappers released the pair because of the “implicit threat of the use of force,” disputing reports that a ransom had been paid.

The Ugandan government said in a statement that the two were "in good health" and were in the "safe hands of the joint security team," according to ABC News. Four other people who were allegedly kidnapped at the same time were also released, according to CNN. 

President Donald Trump tweeted Sunday that he was happy about the release.

"Pleased to report that the American tourist and tour guide that were abducted in Uganda have been released. God bless them and their families!" he wrote.

Trump followed up with a tweet on Monday, saying that Ugandan authorities need to find the kidnappers swiftly.

“Uganda must find the kidnappers of the American Tourist and guide before people will feel safe in going there. Bring them to justice openly and quickly!” he wrote.

RELATED STORIES