Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Thursday announced the rescue of the four children, including an 11-month-old baby, but then backtracked due to lack of confirmation.
Radio silence for more than two weeks. The search continues in the Amazon jungle in Colombia, where a plane carrying three adults and four children crashed in early May. The bodies of the adults were recovered by rescue workers, but those of the children have still not been found. More than a hundred soldiers roam the jungle as part of the search.
In this regard, on Wednesday, May 17, the President of Colombia announced that the children had been saved. But a few hours later, Gustavo Petro recanted for lack of confirmation. This tragedy raises several questions.
Under what circumstances did the children disappear?
A light aircraft, a Cessna 206 HK 280, crashed in the middle of the Amazon jungle in Colombia on May 1st. There were seven people on board, including four children, aged 11 months, 4, 9 and 13 years. The plane disappeared from radar near San José Del Guaviare, in the center of the country where it was supposed to be flying, and was found on Monday, May 15, vertically on the ground with its nose deflated amid dense vegetation.
Authorities initially announced that they had identified the pilot’s body. The next day, they found the children’s mother and the co-pilot, a leader of the Uitoto indigenous community, to which all the passengers on the plane belonged. Since then, more than a hundred soldiers have been working day and night to find the children in the hope that they are still alive.
The causes of the accident have not yet been clarified. According to the Colombian civil protection agency, the pilot had reported engine problems before the plane disappeared from radar. In addition, the authorities did not provide any information on the reasons for the family’s flight. However, the inhabitants of this region, which is difficult to access, in particular due to the lack of roads, often travel by small aircraft.
Why did the Colombian President retract his announcement?
A message from the Colombian President caused false joy on Wednesday evening. Gustavo Petro announced the discovery of the four children safe. “Following diligent search efforts by our armed forces, we have found alive the four children who were missing in the Guaviare plane crash. A joy for the country,” he wrote on Twitter.
However, this information was not confirmed at the time of its release. After several hours, the Colombian President deleted his tweet and posted an apology on his account. “The information of the ICBF [Institut colombien du bien-être familial] could not be confirmed. I’m sorry about what happened,” Gustavo Petro stressed, adding that “the armed forces and the indigenous communities will continue their tireless search to bring the country the news it awaits.”
Where are the searches?
The ICBF said in a statement on Wednesday it had “received information” that the four children had been “found alive and in good health.” However, the public body emphasized that “due to the difficult weather and terrain conditions, the armed forces have not yet been able to establish official contact”. The presence of wildlife, trees up to 40 meters high and particularly heavy rainfall complicate the search, the scope of which must be limited.
On Thursday morning, ICBF director Astrid Caceres spoke cautiously at the microphone of the Colombian radio BluRadio Colombia. When asked about the discovery of the children, Astrid Caceres replied: “I hope that’s the case,” but also recalled: “Wait for confirmation.” communicates and exchanges photos and videos.
The Air Force is involved in the “Hope” relief operation with three mobilized helicopters. On board one of the devices, a speaker “which can cover an area of about 1,500 meters” broadcasts a message recorded by the children’s grandmother. In the Uitoto language, she tells her grandchildren that they are wanted and asks them to stay where they are so rescuers can find them.
What indicates that the children are still alive?
Soldiers, assisted by sniffer dogs, discovered a “makeshift shelter made of sticks and branches” on Wednesday, raising hopes that there would be at least one survivor. The day before, they had found personal items near the plane, including a bottle and partially eaten fruit.
A bottle found in the Amazon jungle on May 17, 2023, not far from the crashed plane. (COLOMBIAN ARMY/AFP)
According to the children’s grandfather, Fidencio Valencia, they were “accustomed to being in the jungle” but were afraid to hide after the accident. According to the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia, the Uitotos live in “harmony” in the jungle and maintain traditions such as hunting, fishing and wild fruit gathering. “We want to find the children. I know they’ve been in the jungle for a long time, it’s difficult. With the support of all residents, indigenous energy and prayers, we will succeed,” he told local television.