BOGOTA, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Four Colombian children have survived 40 days in the Amazon jungle after a plane crashed last month.
The four Indigenous children were the only survivors of the plane crash that killed their mother, the pilot and an indigenous leader on May 1.
The children, aged 1 to 13, were transferred to a Bogota hospital on Saturday morning after being found by rescuers in a jungle region of the southern Guaviare department on Friday. They were reunited with their father and grandfather in the department's capital city of San Jose del Guaviare before being taken to hospital.
"Their learning from indigenous families and their learning of living in the jungle has saved them," Colombian President Gustavo Petro told reporters on Friday.
Pedro Sanchez, commander of the military's joint command for special operations, hailed the tireless efforts of the rescuers and the Murui indigenous group, saying they risked their lives to find the minors.
Though satellites and flyovers were used to locate the survivors, the thick jungle canopy was difficult to penetrate, said Sanchez, adding that clues were found with the help of specialized canines and local indigenous people. ■
