The Treasure Quest: Snake Island team were left fearing for their lives during the filming of this week’s episode — after being held at gunpoint by two armed men.
The team are hot on the trail of $400million of Inca Gold as their search leads them deep into the South American jungle.
And after a string of perilous moments already this season, they get their biggest fright yet when they are suddenly set upon while filming by two men holding guns.
The pair then proceed to aim them at members of the crew and the team.
Watch the clip below as survival and security expert Brett Tutor says: We’re getting into some of the deepest, most recessed jungle of South America, and if something goes wrong out here…it’s game over.”
Luckily it all ends safely when the team’s local guide explains: “They are just defending their heritage.”
It emerges that the two men are just safeguarding their local land and the artefacts which lie on it, and it’s not long before the team realise they can actually use the pair to help them on their search.
But as the men lead them to talk to their elders the team can’t help but realise that what they are doing poses a very real danger.
Brett said in an interview with producers: “I think the human element here is going to be one of the most dangerous aspects.
“This is one of the highest areas of drug trafficking on the entire planet, and with all these cameras and sound stuff and lights — all of this gear, and all of these people coming through such a hostile, dangerous environment. We stick out like a small thumb.”
Expedition dive master Meghan Heaney-Grier added: This is the wild west out here. If you have people that catch wind of treasure hunting, and now perceive you have something valuable? That’s a bad situation to be in.”
Treasure Quest: Snake Island airs Fridays at 10/9c on Discovery.