It is the culmination of forty days of anguish. Four children were eventually found alive in the Amazon jungle of Colombia after almost a month and a half in hostile conditions.
The children “were alone, they succeeded on their own. It is an example of total survival that will go down in history. These children are therefore today the children of peace and the children of Colombia”, rejoiced President Gustavo Petro, praising “the effective coordination between the military and the natives” during the research. Lesly (13), Soleiny (9), Tien Noriel (4) and Cristin (1) were extracted from the jungle, airlifted and transported by helicopter to the city of San Jose del Guaviare then transported this Saturday by medical plane to Bogota , the capital. Upon arrival, they were evacuated on stretchers and loaded into several ambulances.
Jaguars, pumas, snakes and access to drinking water
Originally from the Uitoto indigenous group, the children have wandered alone in the jungle since the May 1 crash of the small Cessna 206 plane in which they were traveling with their mother, the pilot and a relative. All three adults died and their bodies were found by the military at the crash site. According to the army, rescuers found the siblings about 5 km west of the crash site. It is the “warrior” nature of Lesly, the eldest of the siblings, which allowed them to survive, judged one of their grandmothers. “She usually always took care of her siblings when their mother was working. She fed them flour, cava bread, fruits from the bush”.
More than 100 soldiers accompanied by sniffer dogs and dozens of natives searched for the children. Rescuers traveled nearly 2,656 km. The chances of survival were low in an environment where jaguars, pumas, snakes and other predators roam. Insects of all kinds are particularly voracious there. There is also the question of vital access to drinking water.
1. The army provides first aid to the four children
2. The children’s father is present when they get off the plane in Bogota
3. One of the four miracle victims is carried on a stretcher
4. The father of the family waits on the airport runway after the ambulances have left
5. A native of the community from which the children come was present at the airport for their return
6. One of the children is carried on a stretcher
7. Children are transported in ambulances after arriving at the airport
8. One of the ambulances arrives at the hospital
9. One of the children is taken inside a hospital
10. A soldier speaks to the media
