The four siblings from Colombia not only survived a plane crash, but also survived 40 days in the heat of the Amazon. How was that possible? Survival trainer Martin Mollay explains and gives tips on how to act properly in such emergency situations.
For the first time, the four siblings talk about their hard times in the Colombian jungle. “We hid behind logs,” 13-year-old Lesly tells her grandparents. The search party already suspected that this was the case. They searched for the siblings for 40 days.
“If you crash a plane, you always have to stay close to the wreckage. The crash site is easier to find from the air than people wandering through the woods,” explains survival trainer Martin Mollay.
But how did the four siblings survive for so long?
“They didn’t lack water. They could always drink from the rains – from puddles,” said Mollay. “The big sister was definitely the key to survival. She took on the role of mother and brought her siblings through.
According to one report, the children initially ate a three-kilogram supply of cassava flour from the plane. “In the days after the crash, they ate the flour they brought with them,” explained military spokesman Pedro Arnulfo Sánchez Suárez.
When these supplies ran out, the children went looking for seeds and fruits from the jungle – mangoes and passion fruit. “The children are indigenous. They grew up close to nature and therefore know which fruits they can eat,” says the survival trainer from Lower Austria.
‘In such an emergency, the body ticks differently’
The ecologist Carlos Peres of the English University of East Anglia, who is familiar with the Amazon region, also believes this. “Four Western kids that age would have died,” he told the Washington Post. Indigenous children learned early how to find food and avoid dangerous animals such as snakes or big cats. In some communities in the region, children learn to climb trees at a young age, Peres said.
Even in such exceptional situations, the body reacts: “In such an emergency, the body ticks differently. Perception changes and instincts become stronger. We actually have stored the knowledge about survival in our cells,” says the 47-year-old. “And there are less predators in the jungle than we see on TV,” laughs Mollay.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
