After more than two weeks in the rainforest: Four children found alive after plane crash

More than two weeks after the plane crash over the rainforest in Colombia, four children were rescued alive. (Symbolic image) © Jens Büttner/dpa

Four children survive a plane crash over the Amazon rainforest. After more than two weeks, they are found – including an infant.

Munich/San José del Guaviare – After a plane crash in Colombia, four missing children were found in the Amazon rainforest. The aircraft had already disappeared from the radar on May 1 during an overflight of the rainforest. The search for the Cessna 206 could initially only take place from the air due to the dense jungle. It was not until Monday (15 May) that rescue workers reached the crash site and found evidence of survivors.

Four children found alive after plane crash — "Joy for the country"

"Joy for the country," Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on Twitter on Wednesday (17 May). The children of the indigenous people of the Huitoto were found "after an arduous search by our armed forces". The authorities had sent more than a hundred soldiers with sniffer dogs to search for the minors. On Monday and Tuesday, soldiers had found the bodies of the pilot and two other adults. Among them was the mother of the four children. They had arrived by plane from San José del Guaviare, one of the largest cities in the Colombian Amazon rainforest.

The four children, aged four, nine and 13, as well as an eleven-month-old baby, are said to have moved through the jungle in the southern department of Caqueta since the accident. According to the army, the helpers found "an improvised shelter made of sticks and twigs" that indicated at least one survivor. Armed forces published photos showing scissors and a hairband on the floor of the jungle. A bottle and a half-eaten fruit were also found. As a result, the search was intensified again on Wednesday morning – with success.

After more than two weeks in the rainforest: children rescued after plane crash

The search operation was complicated by huge trees that can grow up to 40 meters high. In addition, there were wild animals and heavy rains — a challenge for the search operation, which was called "Operation Hope." Three helicopters were deployed. One of them played a message spoken by the children's grandmother in the Huitoto language over the loudspeaker: she told them not to move from the spot because they were being searched for.

The indigenous Huitoto ethnic group is known for living in harmony with the jungle. They possess skills in hunting, fishing and collecting wild fruits. These characteristics probably helped the children to survive in the jungle for more than two weeks. The cause of the plane crash remained unclear. The pilot had reported problems with the engine before his plane disappeared from the radar, according to the Colombian disaster management agency.

A plane crash also occurred in Italy in March 2023. Both pilots were killed. (vk/afp)