A small plane carrying five people, including the pilot, has crashed into a crocodile-infested swamp in the Amazon rainforest. Miraculously, everyone on board survived and was rescued nearly 48 hours later.
The plane was on a flight from Baures, a town in northern Bolivia, to Trinidad, the capital of the Beni province. However, it vanished from radar on Thursday, May 1, prompting an immediate search and rescue operation.
Local fishermen discovered the wreckage in a swamp on Friday. The survivors were in good condition, according to Wilson Avila, director of the Beni Emergency Operations Center. The group consisted of three women, a child, and the 29-year-old pilot.
The pilot, Andres Belarde, described the ordeal to reporters. He said the plane’s engine failed, forcing him to make an emergency landing near the Itanomas River. The plane crashed into a swamp surrounded by crocodiles.
Belarde said the survivors climbed onto the partially submerged plane to escape the crocodiles. He believed fuel leaking from the plane kept the crocodiles at bay, though they saw anacondas in the water.
With limited supplies, the survivors ate cassava flour brought by one of the passengers. They couldn’t leave the plane or drink from the swamp due to the crocodiles.
Rescue Efforts
After the fishermen found the survivors, they contacted authorities, who dispatched a helicopter to rescue them. Ruben Torres, director of the Beni Health Office, praised the collaborative effort that led to the successful rescue.
The survivors were taken to a hospital for treatment. The cause of the engine failure is still under investigation.