Crash, Courage, and Survival: How Five Survived an Alligator-Infested Jungle Crash

Five people, including a child, were miraculously rescued nearly two days after their plane went down in a swampy area of the Amazonian jungle in Bolivia, notorious for its alligator population. The Bolivian Defense Ministry confirmed that the group was found on Friday morning, following a crash that occurred on Wednesday.

The small aircraft had departed from Baures, a municipality in northern Bolivia, en route to the city of Trinidad. Shortly after take-off, the pilot began experiencing technical problems. Communication with the aircraft was lost about an hour into the flight, prompting a search and rescue mission.

Despite the mechanical failure, the pilot, identified by media as 27-year-old Pablo Andrés Velarde, managed to perform an emergency landing in extremely dangerous terrain. According to his account, the plane crashed into a swamp near a nest of alligators, putting the lives of the passengers at further risk.

In an interview from his hospital bed, Velarde explained that leaking fuel from the wreckage contaminated the nearby water and produced a strong odor that likely deterred the alligators from attacking. Although the reptiles did not retreat completely, they kept their distance, allowing the group to avoid further danger.

During the harrowing two-day ordeal, the group survived by rationing chocolate and cassava flour that the pilot salvaged from the submerged aircraft. One of the survivors, Mirtha Fuentes, expressed emotional disbelief at having made it out alive, crediting their survival to the pilot’s quick thinking and divine protection.

The initial 48 hours of the rescue effort were challenged by severe weather, making it difficult for aircraft to locate the group despite multiple flyovers. The dense jungle and poor visibility contributed to the delay, according to Bolivian media reports.

It was not until early Friday morning that local fishermen finally spotted the survivors and raised the alarm. Bolivian authorities dispatched an Air Force helicopter, which airlifted the group to Trinidad, where they began receiving medical treatment.

President Luis Arce praised the rescue operation and confirmed that all five individuals, including the child, were in stable condition. He thanked the specialized personnel involved and assured that the survivors were being transported to safe areas for ongoing medical care and support.