The great uncle of the four indigenous children, 13-year-old Lesly Mucutuy, 9-year-old Soleiny Mucutuy, 5-year-old Tien Noriel Ronoque Mucutuy and one-year-old Cristin Neriman Ranoque Mucutuy, revealed that they managed to survive in the Colombian jungle for 40 days feeding mainly on fariña and pepas.
According to Caracol Radio, when the plane crashed, the children used fariña to survive until they ran out, at which time they began to eat pepas. The Colombian Family Welfare Institute (ICBF) also noted that food kits dropped by Military Forces helicopters were critical to the children’s survival.
Currently, the children are in the process of recovering under medical care. Although they are still in shock, they have begun to communicate with their relatives. In an interview with Noticias Caracol, the great-uncle said that the children “are already eating, even if it is in small quantities,” adding that they have been provided with “many details” to give them positive energy after the tragic accident in which they witnessed the death of their mother.
In addition, he revealed that the children hid from the rescue teams due to the fear caused by all the noise and barking of the dogs. According to the great-uncle, they “hid in the logs” and simply “ran” to avoid being found.
Fidencio Valencia commented: “I don’t know how they slept, one day they will tell us how they did it.” He explained that their clothes were already torn and had deteriorated, and that they also had no shoes. “They were in a very difficult situation, they were already exhausted,” he confessed.
Another relative of the children, Dairo Juvenal Mucutuy, revealed that the only boy who spoke to him when he visited them told him: “Uncle, I want shoes, I want to be able to walk, but my feet hurt.” Dairo Juvenal simply replied that once they recovered, they would play football together.
The plane in which the four brothers were traveling crashed in the middle of the jungle on May 1. Emergency crews found the mother, pilot and another adult on the crashed aircraft dead, but found no trace of the children, leading to a 40-day search.