Five individuals survived 36 hours on a capsized plane in an alligator-infested swamp in Bolivia after an emergency landing. They were rescued in excellent condition thanks to a coordinated search and the efforts of local fishermen. Pilot Andres Velarde described the terrifying ordeal with alligators nearby and the limited resources available to them.
In a dramatic incident, five individuals found themselves in a dire situation after surviving 36 hours in an alligator-infested swamp in the Bolivian Amazon. This occurred after their plane, a single-engine aircraft, was forced to make an emergency landing. Local authorities reported their rescue on Friday, emphasizing that all five – three women, a child, and the pilot – were in “excellent condition.” This information was shared by Wilson Avila, the director of the emergency operations center for the Beni region.
The ill-fated flight had originated from the town of Baures en route to Trinidad in north-central Bolivia. Pilot Andres Velarde, only 29 years old, recounted the terrifying moments leading up to the emergency landing. He explained that the plane began a sudden descent, prompting him to search for a safe landing area, ultimately settling on a swamp close to a lagoon.
According to Velarde, the group was in a precarious position, surrounded by alligators that came alarmingly close, within three meters of their makeshift refuge on top of the capsized aircraft. Remarkably, he suspected that leaking kerosene from the plane acted as a deterrent to the lurking predators nearby. To add to the unsettling atmosphere, they encountered an anaconda swimming in the murky waters.
With limited options for sustenance, the passengers relied on local cassava flour, which one of the individuals had brought along for the journey. “We could not drink water and were unable to move anywhere else due to the alligators,” Velarde shared, illustrating the extent of their dangerous predicament.
Concern spurred a search and rescue operation after the plane went off the radar. Finally, the group was located by local fishermen who spotted them and subsequently arranged for their transport to the hospital by helicopter. Ruben Torres, who heads the Health Department in the Beni Region, noted that numerous theories circulated regarding the fate of the missing plane prior to the rescue.
“I am really happy because in the end all the institutions joined together to be able to find the missing people and save those lives,” Torres remarked, reflecting on the collaborative effort that made the rescue possible. This incident underscores the risks associated with flying in remote areas but also highlights the tenacity and resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
The survival of these five individuals in such extreme conditions serves as a testament to human resilience and the effectiveness of cooperation during emergencies. Despite the perilous circumstances they faced amid alligator threats, their resourcefulness and the swift response from local authorities and fishermen culminated in a successful rescue, averting what could have been a tragic outcome.
Original Source: www.cbsnews.com
