All true. You are living. Incredibly alive. After weeks of rumors, announcements (and hence denials) about the rescue that later turned out to be unfounded, there are official reports, photos, joy and disbelief. Four children who survived a plane crash on May 1 in the jungle of Guaviare, an uncontaminated region in southern Colombia, were found alive. “We found them, they’re all alive,” the military told the national government.
4 children found alive in Colombia
The four brothers from the Huitoto indigenous community are Lesly Mucutuy, 13, Soleiny Mucutuy, 9, Tien Noriel Ronoque Mucutuy, 4, and Cristin Neriman Ranoque Mucutuy, one year old. Together with their mother, Magdalena Mucutuy Valencia, pilot Hernando Murcia Morales and Yarupari indigenous leader Herman Mendoza Hernandez, they wandered through the forest for 40 days after the Cessna 206 they were traveling with crashed in early May. All three adults died instantly in the accident, and their bodies were found by the military at the crash site on May 16.
An engine failure is the likely cause of the catastrophic plane crash. After the remains of the plane, along with the three bodies, were found, authorities immediately launched a large-scale search, hoping that the minors were still alive, 15 days after the crash. There has always been hope for many, but certain reasons: rescuers have found objects and signs of various types of human presence near the aircraft; this is a sign that someone had survived the plane crash: tracks hut, scissors, a small bottle. And best of all, the lack of bodies of the little ones has caused everyone to search for them relentlessly to this day.
The most experienced rescuers believed that if the children died, the bodies would be found. The eldest of the boys was busy keeping the little ones alive, setting up temporary shelters in the Caquetá forest. A member of Rescue International, a Netherlands-based organization that helps local authorities around the world search for the most dangerous areas, explained in the past weeks that children’s knowledge of the area completely works in their favour. “13-year-olds are statistically more likely to survive. They are aware of their surroundings and have good orientation,” he said.
“A miracle”
They were at an unspecified spot between the departments of Caqueta and Guaviare, not many kilometers from where the plane crashed. Even if they are malnourished and very weak, they are fine. They will be fine. They have already proven that they have infinite resources. An official medical report is awaited on whether minors referred to the hospital in San José del Guaviare need to be transferred to a more equipped hospital in Villavicencio or the capital, Bogotá. Rescuing the little ones by helicopter was very complicated due to the darkness, very poor visibility and dense vegetation.
#AEstaHora commands @FuerzaAereaCol sacan de la espesa selva los los 4 niños. The Helicóptero 🚁 is over 60 meters high. Los árboles 🌳 is very long and visibility is zero. Van al helicopter has been brought to medium level for operation.
From the helicopter… pic.twitter.com/P7RYWDV9oi
— Mindefensa (@mindefensa) 10 June 2023
According to authorities, the children survived thanks to survival kits dropped from helicopters. In these boxes, fariña, a typical food of the region, water, sandwiches, biscuits and lighters; and apparently serving as a guide for their rescuer, fulfilling their purpose of feeding the little ones and leaving a trail in the forest.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed the news given in the first place by various media outlets speaking half and half of the world, saying, “A great joy for the whole country! “miracle” terms.
Fidencio Valencia, grandfather of four children, expressed his satisfaction with the news of the meeting. “I feel very happy, very happy. My God is so big. I thank the president of all ethnic groups and the indigenous peoples who cooperated with us in the search for our children. “There’s no way I can thank him because words are not enough,” said Valencia’s grandfather.
¡A joy for the whole country! With a screw on April 4, 40 days behind in Selva, Colombia. pic.twitter.com/cvADdLbCpm
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) 9 June 2023
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
