The leader added that no one else was with the four children when they were found and that they were now receiving medical care. Previously, Mr. Petro said on May 18 that the country's military had found the four children, but later retracted that information.
According to Reuters , rescuers found the children in the area between the provinces of Caqueta and Guaviare, near the scene of the plane crash on May 1. The Cessna 206 plane crashed while en route from Araracuara City (in Amazonas Province) to San Jose del Guaviare City (in Guaviare Province).
There were 7 people on board the plane, including the pilot, 2 adults and 4 children aged 13, 9, 4 and 11 months. Before the crash, the plane sent out a distress signal due to engine failure.
Photo of a group of Colombian soldiers after finding four children on June 9 Photo: REUTERS
On May 16, a rescue team discovered the plane and the bodies of three adults inside, but did not find the four children. Believing that they were still alive, the Colombian military stepped up the search.
Initial reports said the four children left the plane and walked through the jungle looking for help. The children are Huitoto natives and some officials believe the oldest of the group has some knowledge of how to survive in the jungle.
During the search, rescuers found leftover fruit that the four children had eaten and left along the way, along with makeshift shelters made from trees in the forest. Other signs of life were also discovered, such as baby bottles, diapers and footprints.
The Colombian Air Force deployed planes and helicopters to help with the rescue operation. Because the area had limited visibility due to fog and dense foliage, soldiers on helicopters dropped boxes of food below in the hope that they would help the children survive.
In addition, the plane flew over the forest and fired flares to help the ground search team at night. The rescue team even played a recording from the children's grandmother, urging them to stay put.
According to Al Jazeera , many indigenous communities also participated in the search and rescue operation, so the news made the whole country of Colombia extremely happy. Many people called it a miracle. President Petro said that the survival of the four children was an "example of survival", and predicted that their story "will go down in history".
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