Five individuals, including a child, were rescued from an alligator-infested swamp in Bolivia nearly two days after their plane crashed in the Amazon jungle. The small aircraft took off from Baures and was headed for Trinidad when it encountered technical difficulties, resulting in a distressing emergency landing beside an alligator nest.
The accident occurred on Wednesday, with the group only being discovered on Friday morning. Fortunately, none of the survivors suffered serious injuries. During their harrowing experience, they managed to sustain themselves on chocolate and cassava flour, food retrieved from the submerged plane by the pilot.
The 27-year-old pilot, Pablo Andrés Velarde, described his sheer luck as they landed near the nest. He noted that spilled fuel contaminated the surrounding water, which helped ward off the alligators—though they remained nearby. He recalled a feeling of disbelief upon surviving the ordeal, which turned into tears of joy when he and the others were rescued.
During the critical first 48 hours, search and rescue efforts faced challenges due to adverse weather conditions, preventing aerial searches from locating them despite multiple overflights. Eventually, local fishermen spotted the survivors, leading to their recovery.
Bolivian authorities launched an urgent rescue operation facilitated by the Defence Ministry and civil defence teams. Upon their rescue, the survivors were airlifted to Trinidad via a Bolivian Air Force helicopter for medical assistance.
Bolivian President Luis Arce commended the specialised rescue personnel, affirming that the five individuals, including the child, were alive thanks to their efforts, and assured that they would receive the necessary medical attention.