American birdwatchers chased by armed Mexican drug cartel in terrifying video: ‘Please don’t kill us’

Close encounter ends in handshakes, hugs and a warning that driving any further would end in death

Logan Howard / Aaron Payzant / News Media Network (Logan Howard / Aaron Payzant / News Media Network)

An American couple birdwatching through Mexico captured the moment they say armed drug cartel members pulled them over on a remote dirt road.

YouTubers Aaron Payzant and Logan Howard went viral after their reactions were shared in TikTok videos this week.

The pair described the moment on their channel, Out Off the Trail, that was part of an extended road trip from their home in Indiana to the southeast of Mexico to photograph birds.

Dash camera footage showed the couple lost and confused as to which direction to drive when a pickup truck sped up behind them as they drove through Tobasco, between the Gulf of Mexico and the Guatemala border.

"Oh my God, they have guns, Jesus!" Mr Payzant, who is driving, says as Mr Howard starts urging him to "go, go, go".

(Logan Howard / Aaron Payzant / News Media Network)

"No, no, no", Mr Payzant replies as he pulls over and the group of at least five men approach with guns drawn.

The pair plead "please, please, please… no Espanol," as the unidentified men approach the side window and quickly identify the Americans as "gringos".

"No problem, no problem, no problem, ok?" one of the men says, resting a reassuring hand on the Mr Payzant’s shoulder.

Mr Payzant replies, "Please don’t kill us".

Mr Howard says he’s going to pass out but is calmed down by one of the men, who introduced himself as Philip as they shook hands. Phillip seemed interested in helping the lost Americans find their way – which they said was toward Cancun.

They explained in a follow-up video that the men told them they weren’t allowed on that road, and pointed them back onto the highway.

"We were looking for wildlife and we were just seeing what we could find in an area where there was a lot of wetlands and stuff like that," Mr Payzant said in the follow-up video.

"They told me I needed to go straight, and turn right, and the very next road, they said if I keep going straight I won’t survive. They’ll kill us. I don’t think they were talking about them, but someone else further on. He said I need to get off this road, and don’t get on them again."

"I’m not sure why they had a little bit of compassion, but I appreciate it," he added.

They were let go, but due to the anxiety of the moment left the car in the deep south of Mexico as they made their way back to the US.

They launched a GoFundMe to raise money for a return of their car to the US, which they were reunited with this year - two years after leaving it behind during the 2020 trip.