The Colombian military is working with a Dutch team to look for four kids who might be lost in the Amazon rain forest.
According to RTL Nieuws, there are indications that the children survived the crash of their Cessna C206 on May 1.
They were traveling in a tiny plane with three adults to San Jose del Guaviare in central Colombia when their aircraft vanished from the radar. Lesly (13), Soleiny (9), Tien (4), and Cristin (11 months) were on board. The accident’s origin is still a mystery.
The Colombian officials started looking right away. Only this week, on May 16, did they discover the plane and the bodies of the three adults. Three dogs and about 100 Colombian soldiers are looking for the kids. A plane flying over the neighborhood is equipped with a loudspeaker that is playing an audio message that the children’s grandmother recorded.
Since May 8, Anne van den Ouwelant, a Dutch woman, and her husband have actively participated in the search on behalf of the humanitarian group Rescue International. She works with a group that aids children who have experienced trauma. Additionally, her spouse Humberto is a data analysis specialist.
Rescue International was able to narrow the search by examining radar photos and other data, according to Van den Ouwelant, who spoke to RTL. “The plane could be found, in part because of this.” The Colombian army also discovered signs that the kids are still alive, such as a shelter, fruit that had been consumed, and a baby bottle.
“Now that they’ve got the plane, it’s critical to examine lost people’s actions. So, what do people in this circumstance do? A person will travel to locations with water because they require it. In terms of creativity and endurance, it matters that they are with a 13-year-old. Of course, the fact that it includes minors is still a drawback. A 13-year-old is likely to know to search for water or mark their previous locations so they don’t walk in circles, for example.
Van den Ouwelant could also advise the ground searchers to follow the path of least resistance because people in distress have a tendency to do so. Therefore, people are more likely to take that option if there are hiking trails or animal-use trails nearby. And now there’s something else: individuals frequently try to hike up to a high spot to use their phone.
The Dutch mother is afraid to speculate on whether these kids, including a baby, might survive in the bush for more than two weeks. “However, there is hope. Always maintain that, please. These kids might still be around. For instance, the fact that they are indigenous means that they may have some familiarity with the terrain.