Survivors Rescued After 36-Hour Ordeal in Alligator-Infested Swamp

Five individuals emerged alive after a daring survival story in Bolivia's Amazonas region, spending 36 hours atop their downed aircraft while surrounded by alligators.

In a remarkable tale of survival, five people have been rescued from a plane crash in an alligator-filled swamp in the Amazon rainforest of Bolivia, where they spent a tense 36 hours waiting for assistance. The small aircraft, on a routine flight from Baures to Trinidad, was forced to make an emergency landing due to engine failure, plunging into a swampy area near the Itanomas River. Local authorities reported that the plane was located by fishermen two days after it lost contact.

The survivors—comprising three women, a young child, and 29-year-old pilot Andres Velarde—were found in "excellent condition," according to Wilson Avila, director of the Beni Department's emergency operations center. Velarde recounted the harrowing experience, revealing that they stood atop the plane while alligators lurked nearby, coming within three meters of them. He speculated that leaking fuel may have deterred the predators from making a closer approach.

Throughout their ordeal, the group subsisted on local cassava flour brought by one of the passengers while grappling with the dangers posed by the surrounding wildlife, including a fearsome anaconda sighted in the water. A search and rescue operation was initiated following the plane's disappearance, and a helicopter was dispatched to transport the survivors to safety.

In the aftermath, Ruben Torres, the Director of the Beni Region Health Department, expressed his relief that various authorities collaborated effectively to bring the situation to a successful conclusion.