The Colombian Children, Aged 13 to 11 Months, Share Remarkable Survival Story

Four young Colombian siblings who defied the odds and survived for 40 days in the treacherous Amazon jungle after a plane crash have been joyously reunited with their family. The children, ranging in age from 13 to 11 months, were found alive on Friday after weeks of living in an area teeming with venomous snakes, mosquitoes, and dangerous wildlife.

The siblings, members of the Huitoto Indigenous group, were traveling with their mother on a small plane from the Amazonian village of Araracuara to San José del Guaviare when the crash occurred on May 1. For over a month, the children managed to endure in the jungle, surviving on fariña (cassava flour) from the wreckage and later on seeds and fruits they gathered from the forest.

Their incredible survival story became even more astonishing when they were located by a military sniffer dog during an intense search operation. Speaking to the press outside a hospital in Bogotá where the children are receiving care, their grandfather, Fidencio Valencia, described them as “shattered but in good hands,” expressing immense relief at their miraculous survival.

“They were in the darkness, but now dawn has broken and I have seen the light,” Valencia said, reflecting on the emotional moment of reunion.

Despite their harrowing ordeal, the children have been receiving medical care for dehydration and insect bites. According to their aunt, Damaris Mucutuy, the children are recovering well, and psychological support services have also been offered to help them cope with the trauma. “They are fine, considering everything they’ve gone through,” Mucutuy told a radio station.

The eldest sibling, 13-year-old Lesly, played a key role in keeping her younger brothers and sister alive. She used the survival knowledge her mother had taught her, including identifying fruits like avichure—similar to passionfruit—and other seeds to sustain them. Indigenous leader Edwin Paki, who participated in the search, shared how the children were able to forage for food despite the difficult conditions.

As the children continue their recovery in the hospital, their story has captured the hearts of people worldwide, a true testament to human resilience and the power of family bonds in the face of overwhelming adversity.