Four children miraculously survive 40 days alone in Colombia’s Amazon rainforest after a plane crash on May 1. Their remarkable survival story has brought immense joy to the nation as they were finally rescued.
The children embarked on their journey while accompanying their mother on a flight from the village of Araracuara to San Jose del Guaviare. Unfortunately, the small plane encountered engine trouble and crashed in the rainforest. Tragically, all three adults on board, including the children’s mother, lost their lives in the accident.
Consequently, the jungle became the sole dwelling place for the four children, with the eldest being a 13-year-old girl. They were accompanied by a 9-year-old, a 4-year-old, and an 11-month-old baby.
Belonging to the Indigenous Huitoto tribe, the children possessed familiarity with certain plants and fruits indigenous to the Amazon rainforest. Their upbringing within the Huitoto community enabled them to recognize and utilize these natural resources during their time in the jungle.
Initially, the children sustained themselves by consuming cassava root flour, salvaged from the wreckage of the plane. However, when their supply of flour depleted, their survival relied on their understanding of the rainforest’s fruits and seeds. Fortunately, during this period, numerous rainforest plants were in fruit-bearing season, providing them with sustenance.
Following the plane crash, search and rescue efforts promptly commenced to ascertain the possibility of survivors. After two weeks of intensive searching, the wreckage of the plane was discovered, and indications emerged suggesting that the children might have managed to survive.
Rescue teams deployed helicopters to air-drop boxes of food, aiming for the children to locate them. However, the dense forest canopy obstructed visibility, making it challenging for the children to spot the provisions. In an attempt to guide them, the helicopters played a recorded message from the children’s grandmother, urging them to remain stationary and avoid wandering.
A contingent of more than 150 soldiers, accompanied by trained dogs, was dispatched to conduct ground searches. These teams strategically placed whistles in the area, intending for the children to discover them and utilize them to make noise for assistance. Additionally, approximately 70 Indigenous volunteers joined the search efforts to lend their support.
Throughout the search mission, the teams discovered several clues indicating the presence of the children. These included the sighting of a bottle, a partially consumed piece of fruit, and even a rudimentary shelter crafted by the resourceful youngsters.
Source : newsforkids.net
