In brief
A small plane made an emergency landing in a swamp, leading to a tense 36-hour wait for rescue surrounded by alligators.
Five people stranded in an alligator-infested swamp in Bolivia’s Amazonas region have been rescued after enduring a harrowing 36 hours atop their submerged plane. The small aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing due to engine failure during a flight from Baures to Trinidad. Local fishermen located the plane on Friday after it had been missing for 48 hours, prompting a swift response from authorities. Among the survivors were three women, a child, and the pilot, 29-year-old Andres Velarde. The pilot recounted that the plane began to lose altitude suddenly, leading him to land near the Itanomas River. While atop the aircraft, Velarde and the survivors faced the danger of alligators that ventured within three meters. They believed that leaking fuel from the plane helped to deter the predators. Amid constant fear of the wildlife, the group survived by consuming cassava flour brought by one of the passengers. Velarde shared the dire situation: “We couldn't drink water and we couldn't go anywhere.” After their discovery, a helicopter was dispatched to transport them to safety. The Director of the Beni Department's emergency operations center, Wilson Avila, confirmed that the survivors were found in “excellent condition.” Meanwhile, Ruben Torres, the Director of the Beni Region Health Department, expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts that led to the successful rescue, despite widespread speculation during the search.
