A group of five, which included three women and children, found themselves stranded in water infested with crocodiles after their plane had to make an emergency landing. They managed to survive for a staggering 36 hours before being rescued on Friday.
This harrowing situation unfolded in the Veni region of central Bolivia, where the small plane vanished from radar. Fortunately, the survivors, along with their 29-year-old pilot, were discovered in “excellent condition” by local fishermen in the Amazonas region.
Interestingly, a crocodile lurking nearby was under 10 feet long, but the leaking fuel from the plane likely deterred any predators from approaching too closely.
The pilot, Andres Veraldo, shared that they couldn’t drink water and were limited in movement—thanks to the crocodiles. It must have been terrifying, I imagine, just waiting and hoping for help to arrive.
The emergency landing occurred due to engine failure while the plane was en route from Baures to Trinidad in northern Bolivia. During their tough ordeal, the passengers relied on local cassava flour they had brought along for sustenance.
