Indigenous children rescued in Colombian Amazon show signs of recovery

Four Indigenous children who were plucked from the Colombian Amazon after enduring a grueling 40-day ordeal in the jungle are steadily recuperating, according to the military hospital overseeing their treatment.

However, the hospital cautioned that despite their favorable medical evaluation, the siblings remain at a “high risk” of infection.

The children, identified as Lesly (13), Soleiny (9), Tien Noriel (5), and one-year-old Cristin, miraculously survived a plane crash on May 1 that claimed the lives of all three adults on board, including their mother. After an exhaustive search effort involving approximately 200 military and Indigenous rescuers armed with search dogs, the siblings were finally discovered in the challenging terrain of the Amazon. Weak and malnourished, they had sustained themselves solely on berries, fruits, and roots during their harrowing ordeal.

According to the hospital’s statement, the children are displaying positive responses to a gradual increase in their food intake. Nonetheless, their prolonged nutritional deficit renders them highly susceptible to infections, underscoring the importance of ongoing monitoring and care.

Relatives of the rescued children credit their survival to the deep knowledge of the jungle possessed by Lesly, whose expertise helped them navigate the perils posed by snakes, predatory animals, and armed criminal groups prevalent in the region.

While the siblings’ recovery provides cause for celebration, the search for Wilson, a dog that played a crucial role in their rescue mission but went missing in the dense Amazon jungle, continues. Dozens of soldiers remain committed to locating Wilson and reuniting the faithful canine with its human companions.