Five people have been rescued after surviving a harrowing 36-hour ordeal atop a crashed aircraft in the Bolivian Amazon, where they were surrounded by alligator-infested waters.
The emergency landing occurred in the Beni region of Bolivia after the small plane suffered a mechanical failure mid-flight. The pilot, Yimy Beltrán, managed to land the aircraft in a swampy area, avoiding a major crash but leaving the plane partially submerged.
“The moment we landed, I knew we had to get out and onto the wing,” Beltrán told Unitel TV. “The swamp was full of alligators, and we had no choice but to stay put until help arrived.”
Stranded on the aircraft wing with limited food, no shelter, and surrounded by thick jungle, the five passengers endured relentless heat, insects, and the fear of lurking predators. “It was like a movie,” said one survivor. “We took turns staying awake to keep watch. The splashes in the water were terrifying.”
After the plane failed to arrive at its destination, Bolivian aviation authorities launched a search effort, using drones and GPS tracking to locate the site. All five individuals were rescued by air on Friday and transported to a medical center. They are reported to be in stable condition.
An investigation is now underway into the mechanical failure that led to the emergency landing. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about flight safety and emergency response capabilities in remote Amazon regions.
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