In a heartwarming conclusion to a nerve-racking saga that captured the nation’s attention, four Indigenous children who had been missing for over a month in the Colombian Amazon rainforest were joyfully reunited with their relatives on Saturday. The siblings, who had been surviving alone in the jungle following a small plane crash, were discovered as a result of an intensive rescue operation involving sniffer dogs, helicopters, and aircraft.Appearing thin and weak, the children were transported via an army medical plane to a military hospital in Bogota, confirmed by AFP journalists on site. Defense Minister Ivan Velasquez, accompanied by President Gustavo Petro, visited the children at the hospital and stated that while they are in the process of recovery, they are not yet able to consume solid food.The two youngest children, aged five and one, celebrated their birthdays in the jungle, where Lesly, the eldest at 13 years old, took charge and guided them through the harrowing experience.”Her courage, strength, and leadership are the reasons why the three others were able to survive, thanks to her care and her knowledge of the jungle,” said Velasquez, acknowledging Lesly’s heroic efforts.General Pedro Sanchez, the leader of the search operation, credited the Indigenous people involved in the rescue effort for successfully locating the children, proclaiming, “We found the children: miracle, miracle, miracle!” to the reporters.Members of the Huitoto Indigenous group, the children, aged 13, nine, five, and one, had been lost in the jungle since May 1, when the Cessna 206 they were traveling in crashed. The pilot had reported engine issues only minutes after departing from the Araracuara area, deep within the Amazon, on their way to the town of San Jose del Guaviare.The bodies of the pilot, the children’s mother, and a local Indigenous leader were discovered at the crash site, where the plane remained lodged in the trees in an almost vertical position. Authorities revealed that the group was fleeing threats from an armed faction.Following their visit to the hospital, the children’s grandfather, Fidencio Valencia, informed reporters of their happiness upon seeing their family, stating, “They are in high spirits… They have all their senses.” He further emphasized their adaptability to the jungle, remarking, “They are children of the bush,” as they possess the necessary survival skills.Initially, the children sustained themselves by consuming a small quantity of flour that was onboard the plane, and later survived on seeds, explained Valencia.At the request of their father, General Sanchez will be honored as the youngest child’s godfather. A visibly moved Sanchez expressed his gratitude, stating, “It is a great honor for me,” while placing his hand on his heart during an interview with local television.The extensive search, involving 160 soldiers and 70 Indigenous individuals with an intimate knowledge of the jungle, garnered global attention. Army chief Helder Giraldo expressed his amazement at the accomplishment, revealing that the rescue team had covered over 2,600 kilometers (1,650 miles) in total during the operation. In a tweet, Giraldo stated, “Something that seemed impossible was achieved.”President Petro shared a photograph on Twitter, portraying several adults, some dressed in military attire, attentively caring for the children as they sat on tarps in the jungle. One rescuer was captured feeding the youngest child from a bottle, cradling them in his arms.The president hailed this achievement as the “convergence of Indigenous and military knowledge,” which showcased a “new path toward a transformed Colombia.”The region where the children were found is home to various predators such as jaguars and snakes, as well as armed drug smuggling groups. However, clues like footprints, a diaper, and partially eaten fruit guided the authorities in the right direction.Concerned that the children would continue to wander and become increasingly difficult to locate, the air force dropped 10,000 flyers into the forest, containing instructions in Spanish and the children’s own Indigenous language, urging them to remain in one place. The leaflets also provided survival tips, and the military delivered food parcels and bottled water.Additionally, rescuers played a recorded message by the children’s grandmother, imploring them not to move.According to the military, the children were found approximately five kilometers (three miles) west of the crash site.The children’s grandmother, Fatima Valencia, credited 13-year-old Lesly for keeping her younger siblings safe with her indomitable spirit. However, the search efforts are not entirely concluded as the army announced its intention to continue searching for Wilson, a rescue dog that went missing during the operation.”No one is left behind,” affirmed the army in a tweet, which included a video of the six-year-old Belgian Shepherd Malinois. Wilson played a crucial role in locating some of the items left behind by the children in the jungle and may have, at one point, accompanied the kids while straying from the Army. Although the children recalled a dog following them, it remains unclear if it was Wilson.The news of the children’s rescue coincided with President Petro’s return from Cuba, where he signed a six-month truce with Colombia’s last active guerrilla group, the ELN. Praising the “effective coordination between the military and the Indigenous people” during the search, Petro considered it an “exemplary alliance” that the country should strive to emulate.