Colombia Plane Crash Update Sparks Hope That 4 Child Passengers Survived
Authorities have spent almost two weeks looking for survivors of a Colombia plane crash in the Amazon jungle, including airing a poignant recorded message from the children's grandmother that was broadcasted, urging them to remain in place. DANIEL MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images

According to President Gustavo Petro, four children remain missing more than two weeks after the tragic Colombia plane crash. Search crews have discovered a temporary shelter and personal belongings believed to belong to the children in the jungle, leading them to conclude that the kids have been lost in the rainforest since the accident.

However, Petro has expressed that the information regarding their rescue needs to be more verifiable, per BCC.

The plane crash occurred on May 1, claiming the lives of the children's mother, the pilot, the co-pilot, and the other adults on board. The children's ages range from 13 years to 11 months.

Petro initially took to Twitter to announce the supposed rescue of the children on Wednesday afternoon, citing "arduous search efforts." However, he later deleted the tweet, stating that the information provided by Colombia's child welfare agency, ICBF, could not be confirmed.

He regretted the situation and assured the armed forces and indigenous communities would continue their tireless search for the children.

The ICBF, which had previously provided data supporting the president's deleted tweet, released a statement acknowledging that they had learned of the children's well-being "from the field."

The ongoing search efforts by the armed forces and indigenous communities aim to provide the country with the long-awaited news it hopes for.

Authorities Have Been Searching Since Day 1

Since the fateful day of the Colombia plane crash in the Amazonas province's southern district of Guaviare, search and rescue teams have tirelessly combed the area for wreckage and any signs of survivors, CNN reports.

Jairo Pineda, the general director of Colombia's civil aviation authority, provided an update on Thursday, revealing that three bodies had been discovered and transported to San Jose del Guaviare.

Pineda addressed reporters in San José del Guaviare, stating, "At this moment, we have the arrival of three confirmed adult bodies that we are examining after a challenging evacuation process involving helicopters."

Two of the bodies belong to individuals from a native village, while the third body is that of a pilot, according to Pineda.

The Civil Aviation Authority announced that recent findings potentially offering clues to the whereabouts of the missing children prompted renewed search efforts on Thursday evening.

With the assistance of Ulises, a canine search specialist, the Special Forces managed to locate a suitable site to construct a temporary shelter using wood and branches within the past few hours. Among the discoveries made by the police were scissors and "monitas," traditional hair clips commonly used by women.

Despite the challenges, hopes remain steadfast among the search teams and the public that the four children will be found alive. Thus far, no reports or evidence have emerged, such as images or recordings, depicting the children after the incident.

Unconfirmed Report Says Children Are All Safe and Being Transported by Boat

Avianline Charters, the owner of the ill-fated Cessna plane involved in the Colombia plane crash, said a regional pilot has received information suggesting that the missing children "were being transported by boat downriver and that they were all alive."

However, there has been no official confirmation of this report, as stated by the firm, according to CBS News.

While authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the plane crash in Colombia, the country's disaster response agency had revealed that the pilot had reported engine trouble just minutes before the aircraft disappeared from radars. The challenging terrain and lack of adequate road infrastructure make air travel a standard mode of transportation.

Meanwhile, the Colombia plane crash survivors came from the Indigenous Huitoto (also spelled Witoto) group, known for their ability to thrive in remote jungle environments.

This resilient community relies on hunting, fishing, and gathering techniques to sustain themselves amidst the challenging conditions of their surroundings.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Four children found alive weeks after Colombia plane crash - From Reuters