President Gustavo Petro said the discovery came after a “hard search” by the military – calling the news a “joy for the country”.
Thursday, May 18, 2023 02:29, United Kingdom
Four indigenous children in Colombia have been found alive – more than two weeks after the plane they were traveling in crashed into the dense jungle.
Among those rescued was an 11-month-old baby – as well as children aged 4, 9 and 13.
The plane, a Cessna 206, was carrying seven people when it issued a distress alert due to engine failure in the early hours of May 1.
President Gustavo Petro said the discovery came after a “hard search” by the military – calling the news a “joy for the country”.
Three adults, including the pilot, died as a result of the collision, and their bodies were found inside the plane.
Preliminary information from the Colombian Civil Aviation Authority, which coordinated the rescue effort, indicates that the children fled the plane and set off into the rainforest to get help.
Rescuers, supported by sniffer dogs, previously found discarded fruit that the children had eaten to survive, as well as improvised shelters made from jungle plants.
Planes and helicopters from both the Colombian Army and Air Force took part in the rescue operations.
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