Two British graduates were rescued in Botswana after their Land Rover sank in the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, forcing them to walk about 70km through the bush, with one wearing Birkenstocks. Todd Benney, 24, and Henry Harrison, 23, were six weeks into a drive across Africa when their vehicle became submerged.
Ordeal on the Salt Flats
The pair, who had started their journey in September 2025, drove through South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe before reaching Botswana. They planned to visit eight countries in three months. On the salt flats, the engine began struggling at 15km, and the car sank 35km into the pans.
With no phone service, they saw on their maps a village about 30km away and set off on foot. As darkness fell, they spotted animal tracks. Todd, from Newbury, who studied sports management at the University of Bath, said: 'You could hear the car going, going, going, then gone. It was completely submerged into the ground. We had already driven 35km into the middle of nowhere, and we couldn't see any tyre tracks or anything.'
Using Technology to Find the Car
They decided to turn back, using a screenshot of Google Maps to locate the vehicle. Henry remembered he had saved the car's location on what3words, which provided exact coordinates that emergency services later used. The friends had filled a 20-litre bottle of water before travelling, but it ran out during the trek.
Henry, from Jersey, who studied engineering at Bath, said: 'By the end, we were just dripping water drops into our mouths; it was boiling and there was no shade.' He suffered heatstroke and spent the first day in Birkenstocks, which tore his feet.
Rescue and Recovery
After walking for 14 hours over two days, the pair reached a guard station and were escorted to a police station and then a hospital for checks. Henry said the police commander asked how they escaped the animals, adding: 'He said a couple got lost a year ago and they were never found.'
The car was recovered after three days, despite being submerged in salt for four days. The friends continued their trip through Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and Kenya before returning on December 12, 2025. Todd said they sold the car in Tanzania to another traveller, who later sold it in South Africa, and he hopes to track it down for their next trip.
