Drastic circumstances had placed the responsibility of ensuring the survival her younger siblings squarely on Lesly Jacobombaire Mucutuy, a 13-year-old girl. That fateful morning of May 1, 2023 saw Lesly, accompanied by her family, preparing for a small aircraft flight proceeding from the Amazon’s southern town, Araracuara, located in Colombia. This flight was their chance to escape towards safety in the northern Guaviare region of Colombia. Narco crime units had begun their nefarious activities in their tranquil Amazon village urging the family’s departure, especially due to a threat directed towards Lesly’s father, Manuel Ranoque, a local indigenous leader with a controversial standing.
Lesly’s travel companions on this potentially life-changing journey were her mother, Magdalena Mucutuy, her four-year-old brother, Tien, her nine-year-old sister, Soleiny, and the infant of the family, 11-month old Cristin. Their vehicle was a modest Cessna aircraft, its exterior showcasing an ethereal blend of blue and white. Roughly thirty minutes into their journey, the plane’s inconspicuous flight over one of the Amazon’s most remote parts saw an abrupt halt of the engine. Immediately, a distress signal was broadcasted to the air traffic control, but before an appropriate response could be taken, all communication with the aircraft was lost.
The shocking report of a plane crash in the Colombian media stirred speculation and worries about the fate of the passengers. Questions about the survival of the children and their mother especially resonated in people’s minds, sparking a nation-wide curiosity. Lesly’s contribution to the official Colombian investigation, recounting the series of horrific events, inspired a new documentary titled ‘The Lost Children’.
Lesly recounted her traumatizing experience – the eerie silence that followed the cacophony of the crash. Her return to consciousness was accompanied by a stinging pain on her left side and the unsettling sound of her siblings’ distraught cries. As her mother’s painful groans gradually subsided, Lesly realized the weight of the responsibility that had now fallen upon her. She acknowledged that perhaps if she had regained consciousness sooner, she might have been able to save her mother.
A rescue operation was launched soon after the crash, which saw both the Colombian Special Forces and the indigenous Huitoto clan, more familiar with the amazon than the military, participating. The joint effort saw them navigating through the harsh jungle alongside Manuel Ranoque, the biological father of the two youngest children. The search was hindered by numerous obstacles including a relentless rain, the fauna in the rivers, and the impenetrable jungle terrain. Further danger was presented by the possible presence of guerrilla fighters and drug traffickers in the region.
Among the debris, the rescuers discovered the corpse of Magdalena alongside the pilot and another passenger. As they sifted through the wreckage, evidence started surfacing of the children’s miraculous escape. Special Forces Captain ‘Legionario’, who was in charge of salvaging the bodies, found a baby’s bottle amidst the rubble. Traces of the children, such as footprints and a soil-stained diaper, suggested that they had survived the crash. The million-dollar question then became not if they were alive but where and for how long could they survive.
In her recollection of the horrific chapter, Lesly describes how she transformed into a guardian for her siblings following the tragic accident. She recounts, ‘After the crash, I freed my sister from under my mother. Realizing that we couldn’t stay at the crash site, we decided to move in search of food and water.’ Despite the pain in her leg that hindered her ability to walk, Lesly decided to soldier on. ‘For the first 20 days, I crawled on my knees. My primary concern was baby Cristin’s survival. She needed more nourishment than we did.’
Lesly attributes her survival instincts to the teachings of her mother and her indigenous community. ‘My mother had acquainted me with jungle fruits which we could consume. Using available resources, I managed to fashion a fishing rod and catch some fish. We consumed the fish as it was, despite its distastefulness.’
Eventually, after 40 grueling days, their cries for help were answered when a small group of indigenous rescuers stumbled upon them. On the brink of death and hardly recognizable, the shriveled forms of the children were a producer of relief – they were still drawing breath.
Lesly’s feelings of relief were palpable. ‘When I saw the man from the rescue team, I collapsed. I was overjoyed, knowing that I was no longer solely responsible for the survival of my siblings. Their safety was now ensured.’
In the aftermath of the ordeal, the children were airlifted to safety. While this rescue operation brought about a significant change, it also paved the way for a united front between the indigenous people and the military, two factions who had spent decades opposing each other. They were able to put aside their differences, uniting for a noble cause.
One of the rescuers, Nicolas, speaks about the profound impact the event had on his personality. He admits, ‘The process of finding the children led me to discover aspects of myself I had never known before. In a sense, the rescue of the children symbolized my own ethical and spiritual rescue.’