(Bogota) The discovery in recent days of small footprints in a jungle-covered region of southern Colombia has revived hopes of finding alive the four children who survived a plane crash and were reported missing a month ago.
Researchers found footprints on Tuesday about 3.2 kilometers northwest of where the plane crashed on 1er May with three adults and four indigenous children ages 13, 9, 4 and 11 months on board, General Pedro Sánchez, commander of the Joint Special Operations Command, said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Researchers believe it is the oldest child, a girl, and this new clue could indicate that the group has changed course.
More than 100 members of the Colombian special forces and more than 70 natives of the region joined the search in the virgin jungle of the Colombian Amazon. Some soldiers traveled nearly 1,500 kilometers, almost the distance between Lisbon and Paris, Sánchez said.
“We have every chance of finding them alive,” said Mr. Sánchez, adding that the search was extremely difficult. It’s not like finding a needle in a haystack, it’s like finding a tiny flea in a huge rug that moves in unpredictable directions. »
Colombian President Gustavo Petro said the search for the children was a priority, and Mr Sánchez said no deadline had been set for the search to be completed.
“We found items that are very hard to find in the jungle. For example, the lid of a bottle. If we found that, why not find the rest? Because the children are on the move,” explained Mr. Sánchez.
About two weeks after the crash, the remains of the plane were found, along with the bodies of the pilot and two other adults who were traveling on board. The children have not been found, but everything suggests that they survived the accident.
The researchers believe the children are likely still alive, otherwise the animals would have been attracted to their remains, Sánchez said.
Special forces soldiers work shifts and have to deal with 16 hours of rain a day which can erase all traces of children. They also have to contend with wild animals such as jaguars, ocelots, poisonous snakes, and disease-carrying mosquitoes.
Soldiers also risk getting lost in the dense jungle, where visibility can be less than 20 meters. If they stray more than 20 meters, they can get lost,” Sánchez pointed out.
Soldiers believe the footprints found on Tuesday are those of the 13-year-old girl, due to their size.
Areas of the jungle that were searched were marked off with tape and whistles were left in case children came across these areas and could use them to call for help.
Search crews also played recordings of the children’s grandmother’s voice in the area, although heavy rains muffled the sound, Sánchez said.
Among the clues the commandos have found in recent weeks are a baby bottle, towels, used diapers, scissors and footprints in places relatively close to where the crash happened. product. It could not be established whether the children intentionally left the cases behind to leave clues for those looking for them.
The accident happened on the morning of 1er May after the pilot declared an emergency due to engine failure. The flight was heading north from the southern town of Araracuara and crashed about 175 kilometers from San Jose Del Guaviare.