This is what the indigenous children who spent 40 days lost in the Colombian Amazon are like today

Last May 1, it was a year since the incident that shocked the whole world: a small plane in which there were four children and three adults crashed in a jungle Colombia . However, when authorities arrived on the scene, They only found the deceased adults.

Among them was the mother of the children. But there was no trace of them.

So began an arduous operation to find them: at that timethey were 14, 9, 4 and 1 year old and were traveling to find their father, an indigenous leader who fled Araucaria, a region in Colombia, because he was receiving threats from illegal armed groups.

The search – which they called Operation Hope – lasted more than a month and was supported by the army, rescue dogs and members of the indigenous community. And each time, the hope was less, because The jungle in which the children were lost was a hostile, dangerous and accessible environment.

There were, however, small signs that the miners might be alive: Along the way, they left makeshift shelters with sticks, scissors, a bottle or half-eaten fruit.

Until June 9, 2023, the four children were finally found: They were all alive, although weak, injured, malnourished and showing signs of trauma. But finally alive.

After being found, Lesly (13 years old), Soleiny (9 years old), Tien Noriel (4 years old) and Cristin Neriman (1 year old) were entrusted to the care of the Colombian Institute for Family Protection (ICBF) .

On his return, All of Colombia praised the resilience of the children, who survived thanks to their in-depth knowledge of the jungle, a heritage of its indigenous peoples.

Alex Rufino, an indigenous Ticuna expert in jungle care, said BBC World that the children were not lost, but “They were in their environment, under the protection of the jungle and the wisdom of indigenous people in contact with nature.”

And in June, A year after finding them, the ICBF decided to share the status of the minors and an account of what those first 365 days after the incident were like.

“The brothers and sisters have not been separated at any time (…) They are studying and enjoying the life that boys and girls should have at this age” the institute said in a statement.

Reportedly, although the four survivors are in the care of the ICBF, custody continues to lie with the brothers’ parents.

On the ICBF campus, The four children receive medical and psychological care : “Work was carried out with educators of their ethnic group, psychologists specialized in treating trauma.”

Furthermore, as reported by BBC, They have a family mediator team specializing in ethnic issues and working with children. “so that their customs are not affected by the distance from their territory and that all their rights are guaranteed.”

« The Mucutuy brothers They spend their days having fun and learning.

They also reported that The illnesses the children suffered from when they were found after 40 days in the jungle are now completely cured.

“The brothers have always supported each other and the company of their families, as well as the people who love and protect them” they wrote from the ICBF.

And, for the anniversary of the rescue, the institution once again wanted to pay tribute to the resilience of the four little ones who managed to survive in a complicated environment: “The Mucutuy brothers are an example of courage and hope for all of us. »

“They were the architects of the union of all Colombians in favor of the same cause and that we can understand that with love, faith, dedication, trust and commitment, we can do miraculous things.

Besides the ICBF statement, in general Colombian authorities are responsible for protecting the privacy of the four children.

However, more than a year after the rescue, There are already books and documentaries about this incident which, in a way, has become one of the most emblematic cases in Colombian history. : Many describe it as a “miracle”.

For example, the The Superior War School of General Rafael Reye Prieto launched a book entitled Operation Hope —the same name as the real rescue mission—where we tell, from the military’s point of view, how the search for the four children took place.

On the other hand, the documentary is on the Amazon Prime streaming platform. Operation Hope: the lost children of the Amazon where events are recreated with some family members and actors.

There is also another book, Children of the Amazon: 40 days lost in the jungle written by investigative journalist Daniel Coronell, a Colombian who conducted various interviews to recreate the story.

However, the Colombian indigenous community has shown that The media which speak of this rescue as a “miracle” or “heroism” on the part of the children who survived, in reality demonstrate a lack of understanding of the indigenous world.

And that’s it All four children had survival skills taught by their own culture. . This is how they were able to stay alive for 40 days.