Disappearance of children in the Colombian Amazon forest completes one month; Actions taken so far
The four Colombian children have been missing since May 1st, when the aircraft they were on suffered an engine failure and crashed in the country's Amazon jungle region, thus starting a moving and challenging search operation to find them.
Photo Reproduction / Fuerzas Militares de Colombia
This Thursday (June 1st), completes a month of searching for the four children missing after a plane crashed in the Colombian Amazon region. Although the wreckage of the aircraft and the bodies of three adults were found, there is still no information on the whereabouts of the children, who are considered missing since the incident. In addition to the lack of concrete information about the children's disappearance, the case also included a succession of incorrect statements and information, exemplified when Gustavo Petro, president of the country, announced on a social media platform that the children had been located, however, the publication was later deleted.
Plane crash
The plane crash occurred in early May. Four children were passengers on the flight, including a 11 month old baby, accompanied by his mother. In addition, there were two adults identified as Hernando Murcia Morales, the pilot of the aircraft, and Mucutuy Valencia, an indigenous leader who acted as co-pilot.
Destroços da aeronave na Amazônia Colombiana - Foto Reprodução / Fuerzas Militares de Colombia
The plane crash happened around 7:30 am on May 1st, during a trip between Araracuara and San José del Guaviare, in Colombia. The pilot reported an engine failure prior to the incident. According to Colombian authorities, the last known location of the aircraft was approximately 175 miles (about 282 km) before the destination, on the Apaporis River, in the Amazon jungle. Since then, the plane's whereabouts have been unknown until May 16, when the wreckage was found. Local media also reported that this same aircraft had already suffered an accident in Los Llanos Orientales on July 12, 2021, according to official information.
Shortly after the fall, the Armed forces of the country began a search operation in the area. More than 60 trained and equipped men were assigned to carry out the search. At the beginning of the operations, the corpses of the three adults were discovered, however, the location of the children who had since disappeared.
The children
The four children disappeared after the plane crash, they are sisters. They have been identified as 13-year-old Lesly, 9-year-old Soleiny, 4-year-old Tien and 11-month-old Cristin. So far, it is not known where they are.
The searches
The search has been extremely complicated due to the adverse conditions in the region Amazonia, which makes survival a difficult task. Authorities and neighboring communities have been scrutinizing the area for clues. Since the aircraft was located, authorities have devoted all their efforts to finding the children. During a search operation, helicopters were used, flying over the region with loudspeakers reproducing the grandmother's voice.
On the 15th of May, 14 days after the accident, the search services found at the crash site a bottle that probably belonged to the baby who was on the plane and a bottle positioned on some bushes, a pair of scissors and a chopped apple, suggesting that they had survived. The dogs scrutinized the entire perimeter for clues. A few hours later, a passion fruit cascade was discovered that indicated consumption by humans.
Clues left by children indicating that they had survived - Photo Reproduction / Fuerzas Militares de Colombia
On the 16th of May, at 10 am, the military found a makeshift shelter composed of sticks and stones, where supposedly the children had taken care of the baby for a while. The following morning, at 8 am on May 17, scissors and hair ribbons were found which, according to the military, they believed belonged to the children. A few hours later, army envoys discovered small footprints. Second, with Fidencio Valencia, the children's grandfather, the little ones are familiar with life in the jungle and perhaps chose to hide out of fear after what happened.
"We want to see or find the children. I know they've been in the jungle for a long time, it's difficult. Suddenly, with the support that all the people, indigenous energy and prayers give us, we can [find them]," he said. to Caracol News.
incorrect information
On the night of May 16th, the Colombian President Gustavo Petro had communicated via Twitter that the children had been located, however, without providing additional details about the case. However, a few hours later, the Armed Forces corrected the information, stating that the search operations report indicated that the children were safe but had not yet been located.
The president's stance in disclosing unconfirmed news has received criticism from Colombians. The incident caused a huge stir in the country, as there had been rumors for days about the possibility that the children were alive. In a new publication dated May 18, Petro explained that he deleted the previous publication due to the lack of confirmation of the information and apologized.
"I decided to exclude the trill because the information provided by the ICBF could not be confirmed. I am very sorry for what happened. The Armed Forces and the indigenous communities will continue in their tireless quest to give the country the news that it has been waiting for. At this moment there is no other priority Otherwise, continue the search until you find them. The children's lives are the most important thing," said the Colombian president in the new publication.
The director of Family Welfare Institute, astrid caceres, initially stated that the children were in a local indigenous village and that military personnel were on their way to find them. Later, however, she corrected her statement and reported that the group had still not been located.
Last updates
This Tuesday, May 30, Colombian military forces announced the discovery of a footprint identified as belonging to one of the indigenous children who were missing after a plane crash in the Colombian Amazon region. The military believe that this mark was left by Lesly Jacobombaire Mucutuy, the eldest sister of the four brothers who have been missing since May 1st. In addition to the footprint, troops also found evidence that the children remained in place, such as consumed fruit.
New signs that indicate where the children go - Photo Reproduction / Fuerzas Militares de Colombia
