Bogota, Colombia (AFP) – Four indigenous children miraculously survived and rescued after a small plane crashed in the Amazon rainforest more than a month ago, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said today.
“Today is a day of miracles,” Petra declared in the capital Bogotá, explaining the search and rescue operation. “These children are weak but lucky to survive. Let the doctors evaluate them first.”
Petra had earlier posted a photo on Twitter showing several adults, some in military uniform, sitting on a tarp in the jungle caring for the found children. A rescuer holds the bottle to the mouth of the youngest child in her arms as if to nurse.
“The whole country rejoices! 4 children who disappeared in the Colombian jungle 40 days ago have been found alive,” Petra tweeted.
The video released by the Colombian Ministry of National Defense on the evening of the 9th showed that the rescued children were hoisted onto a helicopter hovering above the treetops in the dark night.
The four rescued Huitoto aboriginal children were 13 years old, 9 years old, 4 years old, and 1 year old. They have been wandering in the jungle since the small Cessna 206 (Cessna 206) single-engine plane they were traveling in crashed on May 1.
At that time, the pilot reported to the control tower that there was an engine problem 10 minutes after takeoff. The small plane took off from a jungle area called Araracuara in southeastern Colombia and flew 350 kilometers to the town of San Jose del Guaviare.
Search and rescue personnel found three remains at the crash site, and confirmed that they were the pilot, the child’s mother and a local aboriginal leader. At that time, the plane was almost vertically hanging upside down on the tree.
Officials said the group was fleeing threats from members of the armed group.
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2023-06-10 07:09:39
