Five Survive 36 Hours in Alligator Swamp After Plane Crash

In a remarkable survival story, five people were rescued after enduring 36 hours atop a crashed plane surrounded by alligators in Bolivia’s Amazon region. The group, which included three women, a child, and 29-year-old pilot Andres Velarde, was found in good condition, according to Wilson Avila, head of the Beni Department’s emergency operations.

The small aircraft had vanished from radar on a flight from Baures to Trinidad, prompting a major search operation. Two days later, local fishermen spotted the wreckage near the Itanomas River, leading to a successful helicopter rescue.

Velarde later explained that a sudden engine failure caused him to attempt an emergency landing in a swamp near a lagoon. The survivors climbed atop the plane as dangerous predators, including alligators and even an anaconda, lurked nearby. He believes leaking fuel may have deterred the animals.

Stranded without water and unable to leave the aircraft due to the threat from wildlife, the passengers relied on cassava flour one of them had packed for sustenance.

“There were alligators just three meters away from us,” Velarde recalled. “We couldn’t move.”

Health director Ruben Torres expressed relief at the outcome, noting that multiple agencies came together to ensure the rescue after considerable speculation surrounded the missing flight.

“I’m grateful all five lives were saved,” he said.