On 1 May 2023, a Cessna 206 light aircraft carrying six passengers crashed in the Amazon jungle in southern Colombia. The passengers included four children aged between 13 years and 11 months, their mother, and two pilots. The pilots and the mother died in the crash, while the children survived and wandered alone in the rainforest for 16 days.
The plane was flying from Araracuara to San José del Guaviare when it reported engine problems and disappeared from radar. A massive search operation involving more than 100 soldiers and sniffer dogs was launched, but the plane was not located until 15 May. The search teams found items belonging to the children near the wreckage, such as a pair of scissors, a blanket, and a makeshift shelter.
On 17 May, Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced on Twitter that the children had been rescued by indigenous people deep in the jungle and were in good health. However, he later deleted the tweet and said that the information could not be verified. He apologized for the confusion and said that the search would continue until the children were found.
The child welfare agency of Colombia also said that it had received information from reliable sources that the children had been rescued, but it had not been able to see them yet. A pilot who participated in the search said that he had heard from indigenous people that they had found the children and were taking them to a nearby town.
However, as of 18 May, there was no official confirmation that the children had been rescued or contacted by anyone. The soldiers involved in the search said that they had not been able to reach the children due to the difficult weather conditions and terrain. The authorities urged caution and patience until more details were available.
The case has attracted national and international attention, as well as expressions of solidarity and hope for the children’s survival. The president said that he was praying for a positive outcome and that he would do everything possible to bring them back safely. He also praised the efforts of the armed forces and the indigenous communities for their cooperation and support.
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