( Spanish) — The Military Forces and indigenous communities of Colombia found more elements in the perimeter of the search area that “could belong” to the four children who disappeared after the accident of the plane in which they were traveling, the Civil Aeronautics reported on their social networks.
“A pair of tennis shoes, used diapers, the lid of a bottle and a cell phone frame would give indications that there is a possibility that the little ones have escaped the accident alive.” wrote the agency.
The finds were closer to the crash site than a set of footprints discovered last week.
The Colombian military believes the new findings suggest that the four children survived the crash and were alive between May 3 and May 8, and that they moved further west from the wreckage in the days that followed, according to the Colombian military. statement on Wednesday.
Because there are indications that the minors may be alive, the authorities have joined efforts of all kinds to find them. For example, a recorded message was played by the children’s grandmother, telling them to stay in their place; Likewise, the Military Forces have released a photograph of the father of the minors from the search area.
However, no evidence has been discovered that the children are alive, despite more than 350 men and women working tirelessly in the search and rescue operation.
A few days ago, the Armed Forces reported that they found footprints that they believe belong to the missing children.
“#OperaciónEsperanza continues. Our special forces, with more than 100 men involved in this humanitarian mission, found footprints near a small river that would belong to children who disappeared in the Caquetá jungle,” the Armed Forces said on Twitter as they continued their search. search.
Rescue teams have been searching for the wreckage of the Cessna plane carrying the children since it crashed on May 1 in the southern department of Guaviare, in the Amazon area.
An incessant search, although with ups and downs
On Wednesday, May 17, the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, tweeted that the children, ages 13, 9, 4, and one more than 11 months, were found alive. But then he deleted the tweet and said on Thursday that the information given to him by the Family Welfare Institute (ICBF), which is in charge of child protection, had not been confirmed.
That same Thursday when Petro deleted the tweet, the bodies of three people were recovered and transferred to San José del Guaviare, Colombia, after the plane crash.
The Civil Aeronautics identified the victims as Hernando Murcia Morales (pilot), Magdalena Mucutuy Valencia and Herman Mendoza Hernández. He also expressed his solidarity with the families of the deceased: “We join you in mourning.”
After 3 weeks of the crash of the small aircraft, the search for the children who were on board is still underway. Since the beginning of this week, a group of indigenous people joined 150 members of the Colombian forces to help in the investigation.
With information from ‘s Mia Alberti and Stefano Pozzebon.
