Four children have been rescued in the Colombian jungle 40 days after a plane crash and transferred to a military hospital in Bogota to receive medical treatment.

The minors were siblings aged between one and 13 years old. They were spotted by rescuers in a jungle region of the southern department of Guaviare on Friday, after their plane crashed on May 1.

The aircraft and the bodies of the pilot, an indigenous leader, and the children's mother were found on May 15.

The siblings, whose family name is Mucutuy, reunited with their father and grandfather in the department's capital city of San Jose del Guaviare before being taken to the hospital.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro later visited the hospital and met the children.

Soundbite in Spanish from Gustavo Petro, Colombian president:
"The indigenous communities and the armed forces jointly found the children, 40 days later. They were alone, they achieved it themselves, an example of total survival that will be remembered in history. So, these children are now the children of peace and the children of Colombia."

While satellites and flyovers were used to locate the survivors, the thick jungle canopy was difficult to penetrate, said Pedro Sanchez, commander of the military's joint command for special operations, adding that all the clues were found on the ground with the help of specialized canines trained in search and rescue operations, and guided by indigenous people.

STORY: 4 Colombian children found alive after 40 days in jungle
DATELINE: June 11, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:23
LOCATION: Bogota
CATEGORY: OTHERS

SHOTLIST:
1. photos of the rescue scene
2. SOUNDBITE (Spanish): GUSTAVO PETRO, Colombian President
3. various of the children being airlifted

STORYLINE:

Four children have been rescued in the Colombian jungle 40 days after a plane crash and transferred to a military hospital in Bogota to receive medical treatment.

The minors were siblings aged between one and 13 years old. They were spotted by rescuers in a jungle region of the southern department of Guaviare on Friday, after their plane crashed on May 1.

The aircraft and the bodies of the pilot, an indigenous leader, and the children's mother were found on May 15.

The siblings, whose family name is Mucutuy, reunited with their father and grandfather in the department's capital city of San Jose del Guaviare before being taken to the hospital.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro later visited the hospital and met the children.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish): GUSTAVO PETRO, Colombian President
"Indeed, the indigenous communities and the armed forces jointly found the children, 40 days later. They were alone, they achieved it themselves, an example of total survival that will be remembered in history. So, these children are now the children of peace and the children of Colombia."

While satellites and flyovers were used to locate the survivors, the thick jungle canopy was difficult to penetrate, said Pedro Sanchez, commander of the military's joint command for special operations, adding that all the clues were found on the ground with the help of specialized canines trained in search and rescue operations, and guided by indigenous people.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Bogota.
(XHTV)