Siblings Survive 40 Days in Amazon After Plane Crash

A tragic plane crash in the Amazon jungle left four young children stranded for 40 days, prompting a remarkable survival story. The aircraft, a Cessna, went down on May 1, 2023, while carrying Lesly Mucutuy, 13, and her siblings Soleiny, 9, Tien, 4, and Cristin, 11 months, en route from Araracuara to San Jose del Guaviare, Colombia. The wreckage was found two weeks later, but the children were astonishingly alive, having survived in the wild without adult supervision.

Rescuers uncovered the wreckage after a grueling 12-hour boat journey into the dense jungle. They found the bodies of the two pilots and the children’s mother, Magdalena, but no sign of the children. The siblings managed to endure the harsh conditions by relying on each other and their impressive resourcefulness.

Lesly, despite suffering a severe leg injury from the crash, took on the responsibility of caring for her siblings. She explained, “We stayed by the plane for a few days, but no one came to rescue us. I packed two bags with supplies. I was crying from the pain. I was dragging my leg, crawling, searching for a way out of the jungle.”

The ordeal began just half an hour into their flight, as the aircraft encountered difficulties. Lesly recounted the moments leading up to the crash: “I was living with my grandma, and I was happy. It was my first time on a plane. As we took off, it began making a lot of noise. I was so scared… then later it started to fall.”

After the crash, Lesly and her siblings waited for help, but when none arrived, they set off into the jungle. Their survival instincts kicked in as they relied on wild berries, which they learned to identify through their indigenous Huitoto heritage. “The monkeys teased us as they leapt from tree to tree. They made the milpesos fruit fall and we caught them,” Soleiny recalled.

Lesly described their struggles with wildlife, noting, “There was a herd of tapirs and they tried to attack us, so we stood still like statues.” To fend off predators, the children used sticks and flashlight beams to create noise and keep animals at bay.

As the days passed, the children faced emotional challenges as well. Lesly remembered her brother’s grief, saying, “He asked, ‘When is Mum coming? Why did we leave her alone?’ I explained to him that our mother was dead and he said, ‘No.’” The children grappled with hunger and fear as they navigated the jungle together.

On the 19th day, Lesly managed to stand for the first time since the crash, marking a turning point in their ordeal. Meanwhile, search teams were tirelessly looking for the children. Soldiers played messages from their grandmother, Fatima, through loudspeakers, urging the children to stay in one place for rescue.

In an unexpected turn, Indigenous members of the Huitoto tribe joined the search efforts, bringing with them their own spiritual beliefs and rituals. The alliance marked a significant cultural moment, as the two groups had historically been at odds. Special forces lieutenant Juan Felipe Montoya described the unity as a powerful force in the search, stating, “By day 26, the two groups were united in their determination to find the Mucutuys.”

Finally, on day 40, the children were found, dehydrated and exhausted but alive. Lesly expressed her emotions upon being rescued: “I heard some voices and footsteps close by, but I see nothing… Then I feel faint from all the emotion after being found.”

Today, the children live with their extended family, receiving therapy to cope with their traumatic experience. Lesly’s aunt, Damaris Mucutuy, noted, “People say you are a miracle… You fell from the sky and survived for 40 days.”

The story of Lesly and her siblings has captivated the public, highlighting the resilience of children in the face of adversity. Their journey has been documented in a National Geographic film titled Lost In The Jungle, which further details their incredible survival against all odds.