A miraculous tale of survival for four Colombian children in the Amazon has ended in success after they were found alive 40 days after their plane crashed in the remote jungle.
The siblings, ages 13, nine, four, and one, were traveling in a Cessna 206 with their mother when it issued a mayday alert due to engine failure before going down.
Units of the armed forces and local teams immediately began searching for the missing family and found the bodies of the three adults at the site but there were no signs of the children.
Witnesses reported the plane was flying over the Araracuara region of Amazonas province before the crash and initial investigations indicated the children had escaped the wreckage and wandered off into the depths of the rainforest.
Dense jungle, animals, jaguars, and snakes posed great danger as the search teams went in to find them. The kids were part of the indigenous Huitoto group who were part of the search and the military quickly sought their aid by playing a recording of their grandmother’s voice in their native language requesting they remain still to be located easier.
The search mission lasted over a month, but the rescue teams found evidence of their survival along the way. A child’s drinking bottle, a pair of scissors, and a makeshift shelter were unearthed, alongside small footprints leading to further developments.
Eventually, the children were located by an accumulation of all the information and air-lifted away to safety in the Colombia capital of Bogota where they were taken to the hospital for medical treatment.
Colombia President Gustavo Petro made a comment during the event describing the situation as a “magical day”. The strength and courage of the four siblings endured through the 40-days to overcome the Amazon jungle and bring joy to the Colombian people, a reminder of the power of hope and the importance of never giving up.