The four children who had been missing for 17 days after a plane crash in southern Colombia that killed three adults have been found alive, Colombian authorities said on Wednesday.
“After heavy searches by our armed forces, we have found alive the four children who disappeared in the crash of a plane in Guaviare. A joy for the country,” Colombian President Gustavo Petro said in a note via the social network Twitteren.
After working hard in the search for our armed forces, we found the 4 children who had disappeared as a result of a plane crash in Guaviare. A joy for the country.
– Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) May 17, 2023
The four children, including an 11-month-old baby, disappeared in the Amazon jungle after the small plane they were traveling with their mother crashed in early May. They were found dead along with two other adults on board.
More than 100 soldiers, aided by sniffer dogs, were involved in the searches, which intensified after the discovery of new clues that suggested they might still be alive.
“Efforts to locate the four minors aged 13, nine, four and an 11-month-old baby have intensified in recent hours,” the military said in a statement.
After rescuing the children, Colombian authorities have not yet released any further details about their health.
The aircraft, a Cessna 206, had disappeared from radar on May 1 near San José del Guaviare, where it was supposed to go.
Rescue teams discovered a “makeshift shelter made of sticks and branches” and believed there was at least one survivor.
The causes of the accident have not yet been determined.
According to civil protection, the pilot had reported problems with the plane’s engine before it disappeared from radars.
Source: DN
