Colombian President Gustavo Petro additionally awarded medal to army rescue canine, Wilson, who went lacking throughout the seek for the youngsters.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has awarded medals to Indigenous and army rescuers who took half in an operation to seek out 4 kids who have been misplaced for 40 days within the jungle after surviving a airplane crash within the nation’s Amazon area.
The youngsters, aged one by to 13, survived the crash that killed their mom, the pilot and one other grownup on Might 1. The youngsters have been finally discovered on June 9 by volunteers from the Indigenous Muruy folks following a big and sophisticated search operation.
“Greater than the medals, that are symbolic… the nice prize, the nice reward, is known as life,” President Petro mentioned on the ceremony within the capital Bogota on Monday the place members of the rescue mission got medals of the Order of Boyaca – the second highest distinction within the armed forces and the very best for civilians.
The youngsters – Lesly, Soleiny, Tien Norie and Cristin, aged 13, 9, 5 and one, respectively – survived for weeks within the deep jungle due to expertise they realized being members of certainly one of Colombia’s Indigenous communities.
Petro mentioned the youngsters had been guided by “ancestral” data and praised the collaboration with Indigenous members of the search workforce for “educating all of Colombia how, being united, we will discover life”.
“Now there is no such thing as a debate about whether or not Western or conventional knowledge is extra vital,” Petro mentioned of the rescue efforts. “Collectively, they introduced the youngsters again.”
“The army with its satellites, and the Indigenous folks with their potions – together with ayahuasca – and invoking the spirits of the jungle, collectively, discovered life,” he added.
The youngsters have been reported to be recovering satisfactorily at a army hospital in Bogota.
A army rescue canine, Wilson, who went lacking himself throughout the operation, was additionally awarded one of many medals. Although efforts to seek out Wilson continued after the youngsters have been discovered, his rescue is now unlikely, a army official instructed native media.
Basic Pedro Sanchez, chief of the rescue operation, mentioned monuments could be constructed to recollect the legacy of the six-year-old Belgian Malinois shepherd.
Wilson has not been seen since Might 18, when he raced away from the search occasion following a scent. The army has mentioned searchers adopted Wilson’s paw-prints, which led them into the final space the place the youngsters have been finally discovered three weeks later by 4 of the Indigenous volunteers.
