The four children who disappeared in Colombia's Amazon rainforest after their plane crashed on May 1 and whose search mobilized dozens of rescuers were found alive, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said in a Twitter message.
"A joy for the whole country! The 4 children who were lost 40 days ago in the Colombian jungle appeared alive," the president wrote.
Seven people were traveling in the crashed plane. The bodies of the pilot and two other adult passengers were initially found. But the children were not found at the time, although there were traces that they might have survived.
Rescuers found a bottle, according to the military, as well as a recently bitten fruit miles from the area. Near the plane had also appeared footprints that gave hope to the rescue teams.
The plane, operated by Avianline Charter's, was flying from Araracuara, a remote town on the border between the departments of Caquetá and Amazonas, to San José del Guaviare, capital of the department of Guaviare.
The search for the minors was intense. Dozens of indigenous people from various jungle areas of Colombia joined the military forces to find the whereabouts of Lesly Mukutuy, 11; Soleiny Mukutuy, 9; Tien Noriel Ronoque Mukutuy, 4, and 11-month-old baby Cristin Neruman Ranoque.
The children belong to the Uitoto ethnic group.
