THE Mecutuy siblings were just children when they were forced to survive by themselves in the Guaviare Rainforest, following a tragic plane crash.
Their efforts to survive, without their mother who had died in the crash, are explored in Netflix’s documentary The Lost Children.
The four children survived for weeks in the hospital, thanks to the efforts of their oldest sisterReuters
The children sadly lost their mother in the accidentGetty Images
The crash
Magdalena Mucutuy and her four children were flying across the Guaviare Rainforest on May 1, 2023, when it became clear that the engines had failed.
They were flying from Araracuara to San José del Guaviare to meet Manuel Ranoque, the two youngest children’s father, so they could flee a violent criminal group.
However, the plane crashed in the rainforest which left the passengers stranded.
It was eventually discovered that Magdalena survived for four days after the crash, before sadly passing away.
Following Magdalena’s death, Lesly, age 13, was left to survive in the rainforest with her three younger siblings.
Lesly supported her family by building a shelter for them by using hair ties and tarpaulin, while using a soda bottle to fetch them water.
Her youngest sibling, Cristin, was just one at the time but Lesly managed to use the remaining food in a spare baby bottle to keep her sibling alive.
The middle siblings, Soleiny, age 9, and Tien, age 5, survived by eating fruits and vegetables that they knew not to be poisonous thanks to their Huitoto upbringing.
The four children were missing for forty days before they were rescued, despite a false, premature announcement from the Colombian President that claimed that the children had been found.
The aftermath
A search for the four children was launched after their disappearance.
The Colombian army, indigenous groups, and volunteers were all part of the search which eventually ended in the rescue of the Mucutuy children.
According to Ranoque, the children were saved in the nick of time.
He said: “We started to see thunder and lightning bolts.
“We left at the right moment, ten minutes later and the helicopter could not have taken us.”
The children were flown to a hospital in Bogota, where they immediately asked for food.
According to Ranoque, he then spoke to his eldest daughter about Magdalena’s last words.
Ranoque said: “Before she died, their mum told them something like, ‘You guys get out of here. You guys are going to see the kind of man your dad is, and he’s going to show you the same kind of great love that I have shown you.”
Sadly, one member of the search team did not return from the trip.
A search dog named Wilson, a Belgian Shepherd, was lost in the rainforest.
There was a wide-reaching search for the heroic dog but sadly he was not found.
Special Forces commander General Pedro Sanchez said: “Wilson will be remembered in our hearts and in the soul of the Colombian people, as we will do with the other canines and with our soldiers and police officers who have sacrificed their lives.”
A search of the crash site led to the discovery of Magdalena and the plane’s two pilots’ bodies.
Ranoque was later arrested on suspicion of abusing Magdalena.
The children were flown to Bogota to receive medical careReuters
Netflix documentary
A documentary that details the Mucutuy children’s amazing story of survival will land on Netflix on November 14, 2024.
The Lost Children’s director, Orlando von Einsiedel has said:“It’s always crucial to treat stories involving painful human tragedy with the deep respect and sensitivity they deserve.
“I was drawn to this particular narrative because it was clear that within it were many glimpses of incredible human resilience and strength – not only the children’s battle to survive in the forest alone but also how Indigenous rescuers and the military were able to overcome their mutual mistrust and fear to unite in a dangerous and epic mission to rescue the children.”
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