fter enduring an exhausting and challenging ordeal, four Indigenous children, who had been missing in the Colombian Amazon rainforest for over a month, were joyfully reunited with their relatives on Saturday.
The siblings, who had been alone and wandering in the jungle following a tragic plane crash that claimed the lives of their mother and two adults, were eventually located through a determined rescue operation involving sniffer dogs, helicopters, and aircraft.
When found, the children appeared thin and weak. They were then transported by an army medical plane to a military hospital in Bogota, as witnessed by AFP journalists on-site. Defense Minister Ivan Velasquez, accompanied by President Gustavo Petro, visited them in the hospital and reported that they are in the process of recovery, although they are not yet able to consume solid food.
HOW DID THEY CRASH?
The children, aged 13, nine, five, and one, belong to the Huitoto Indigenous group, according to an AFP report. They had been missing in the jungle since May 1, when the plane they were traveling in, a Cessna 206, crashed. Shortly after takeoff from Araracuara, a remote area in the Amazon, the pilot reported engine problems during the 350-kilometer (217-mile) journey to San Jose del Guaviare.
Tragically, the bodies of the pilot, the children’s mother, and a local Indigenous leader were discovered at the crash site. The plane was lodged vertically in the trees. Authorities revealed that the group had been fleeing threats posed by members of an armed group.
SO, HOW DID THEY SURVIVE?
Despite being malnourished and having insect bites, none of the children were in critical condition. The military shared pictures on social media showing a group of soldiers and volunteers posing with the children, as per the Guardian. The photos depicted the children wrapped in thermal blankets, surrounded by the rescue team that discovered them. One particular picture showed Cristian, the one-year-old child, being held tenderly by a rescuer.
They’ve given us an example of total survival that will go down in history,” Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, said, according to the report.
In a treacherous and unforgiving environment teeming with jaguars, snakes, and other predators, as well as armed drug smuggling groups, the courageous siblings faced an incredible challenge. However, the dense jungle was not entirely foreign to them, AFP reported.
“These are Indigenous children who possess deep knowledge of the jungle. They know what to eat and what to avoid. It is their spiritual strength combined with this knowledge that enabled their survival," remarked Luis Acosta from the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia. The children’s grandmother, Fatima Valencia, shared that 13-year-old Lesly, with her warrior-like spirit, protected her younger siblings.
