Soldiers have found new leads while searching for four missing children in the Colombian rainforest. Footprints have been discovered in the moist soil near a stream in the jungle of the Caquetá department in the south of the country, the armed forces announced on Thursday (local time). More than 100 members of the special forces took part in the search for the siblings, aged 13, 9 and 4 years and 11 months.
The children have been wanted for more than two weeks. They were in a Cessna 206 propeller plane that crashed on May 1 en route from Araracuara to San José del Guaviare with seven people on board. Because the area around the disaster site is difficult to access, the rescuers were only able to penetrate the wreck near the village of Solana on Tuesday. There they found the bodies of the children’s mother, an indigenous activist and the machine’s pilot, the aviation authority said Thursday.
The children belong to an indigenous community and, according to media reports, were on their way with their mother to the capital Bogotá, where their father had fled after constant threats from armed groups. Their knowledge of the region may have helped them survive in the jungle for so long after the crash. “They are used to being in the rainforest,” her grandfather Fidencio Valencia told Caracol TV. “With the help of the people, the indigenous energy and the prayers, hopefully we can find the children soon.”
During their search, the special forces found, among other things, an emergency shelter made of leaves and branches, a baby drinking bottle and half-eaten fruit. The head of the family authority, Astrid Cáceres, said on the radio: “Yes, they are alive, that is the information we have.” According to this, the children were found by an indigenous search, but the group has not yet been able to find the way to the soldiers. “We need to understand that the jungle is complex and communication in the region is difficult,” Cáceres said.
“The armed forces and indigenous communities will continue their tireless quest to deliver to the country the message it expects,” Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote on Twitter. “At the moment there is no priority other than continuing to search until they are found. The lives of the children are the most important thing.” Petro had earlier prematurely announced the rescue of the children. Later he had to correct himself.
(yam/sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
