After a crash in the Amazon, they survive 36 hours in a marsh – Liberation

Netflix will be able to take inspiration from it for a next production. Five people remained blocked for 36 hours in a marsh infested with caimans in The Bolivian Amazonafter the emergency landing of their plane, before being rescued on Friday May 2, local authorities announced. All passengers on board – three women, a child and the pilot – came out unscathed, found by the emergency services on the plane returned to the ground.

The pilot, Andrés Velarde, explained from his hospital bed that his plane suffered an engine failure on Wednesday, then started to lose altitude. The 29 -year -old man then looked for a plain to make an emergency landing and found only a marsh as the only place near a lagoon. « The shock was tough, but we were all safe »he said, according to the video broadcast by a Bolivian media.

Except that in the Amazonian swamp, the five survivors found themselves « Surrounded by caimans ». Impossible to leave the cabin because of the dangerous reptiles, he explained. « They stayed 3 or 4 meters, to watch us all night », remembered Andrés Valverde.

What probably saved them? « The smell of essence » which flowed from the crash plane, thanks to which « Caimans have not approached » For the priest, developed the miracle. They also saw a curious, an anaconda several meters long, but obviously also put off by diesel.

« We spent almost 36 hours without being able to sleep »added Andrès Velarde, feeding on cassava flour that one of the passengers had brought. The five disappeared were actively sought by the authorities, and were finally helicopter.

The aircraft had taken off on Wednesday from the locality of Baures, in the direction of the city of Trinidad, both located in the Beni department, and 180 kilometers away. In this area located in the heart of the Amazon, travel is mainly by plane due to the poor condition of the roads.