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Mother and baby survive Colombia jungle plane crash Mother and baby survive Colombia jungle plane crash
(about 11 hours later)
A young mother and her baby have been found alive five days after their plane crashed in the jungle of western Colombia.A young mother and her baby have been found alive five days after their plane crashed in the jungle of western Colombia.
A Colombian Air Force chief described their survival as "a miracle".A Colombian Air Force chief described their survival as "a miracle".
Maria Nelly Murillo, 18, and her one-year-old son were found by rescuers near to where their small Cessna plane crashed in Choco province.Maria Nelly Murillo, 18, and her one-year-old son were found by rescuers near to where their small Cessna plane crashed in Choco province.
Ms Murillo had some injuries and burns while her baby appeared to be in good health.Ms Murillo had some injuries and burns while her baby appeared to be in good health.
Contact lostContact lost
The twin-engine Cessna plane, which was carrying fish and coconuts, had been flying from the town of Nuqui on the Pacific coast to Quibdo, the capital of Choco. The twin-engine Cessna, which was carrying fish and coconuts, had been flying from the town of Nuqui on the Pacific coast to Quibdo, the capital of Choco.
Stories of miraculous plane crash survivalsStories of miraculous plane crash survivals
It disappeared from the radar of the civil aviation authorities 20 minutes into the flight. It disappeared from the radar of the civil aviation authorities 20 minutes into the flight. A search plane eventually found the wreckage in the Alto Baudo region.
When the pilot did not respond to any calls, officials knew something was wrong and despatched a plane to search the area. The reason for the crash is not known. The pilot of the Cessna was found dead in the cockpit.
It took the search team two days until they finally spotted a white dot in the dense jungle, which turned out to be the remains of the Cessna.
It had crashed, for reasons not yet known, in the Alto Baudo region.
When the search team reached the Cessna, they found its pilot, Carlos Mario Ceballos, dead in the cockpit.
Glimmer of hopeGlimmer of hope
There was no trace of Ms Murillo or her baby, Yudier Moreno, which the passenger list said had been on board.There was no trace of Ms Murillo or her baby, Yudier Moreno, which the passenger list said had been on board.
But according to Col Hector Carrascal of the Colombian Air Force, rescuers took hope when they noticed that the cabin door was ajar.But according to Col Hector Carrascal of the Colombian Air Force, rescuers took hope when they noticed that the cabin door was ajar.
"It could have opened on impact, but it could have been opened from the inside," he said."It could have opened on impact, but it could have been opened from the inside," he said.
"But that's when we started to worry. We didn't have a clue what had happened to them: they could be lost in the jungle trying to survive or they could have died already." "We didn't have a clue what had happened to them: they could be lost in the jungle trying to survive or they could have died already."
But then the rescuers found clues which led them to believe Ms Murillo and her baby could still be alive. Part of the search party searched the area on foot, while others flew in a helicopter using a loudspeaker to shout Ms Murillo's name and urge her to return to the crash site.
Coconut shells near the plane and a discarded flip flop in the jungle lifted their hopes.
They also found the baby's birth certificate near a tree, which convinced them that Ms Murillo was trying to leave a trace of her path through the jungle.
Part of the search party scoured the jungle on foot while others flew over the area in a helicopter using a loudspeaker to shout Ms Murillo's name and urge her to return to the crash site.
But for two days their search yielded no results.But for two days their search yielded no results.
'Miracle''Miracle'
Finally, on Wednesday, they located Ms Murillo about 500m from the site of the crash in a ravine on the banks of a river.Finally, on Wednesday, they located Ms Murillo about 500m from the site of the crash in a ravine on the banks of a river.
"It's a miracle. It is a very wild area and it was a catastrophic accident," Col Carrascal said. "It's a miracle," Col Carrascal said. Of the baby, who is unharmed, he said: "His mother's spirit must have given him strength to survive."
Of the baby, he said: "His mother's spirit must have given him strength to survive." The pair were airlifted to a hospital in Quibdo. BBC Mundo's Natalio Cosoy has spoken to Ms Murillo's elder brother, Carlos.
The couple were airlifted to a hospital in Quibdo. Mr Murillo said she had managed to open the cabin door and run into the jungle as fire was spreading in the cabin.
Ms Murillo told medical staff that she had managed to open the cabin door and run into the jungle as fire was spreading in the cabin. "It was then she remembered she had a baby and went back from him," said Carlos Murillo. She sustained burns to her face, an arm and a leg.
She then reportedly went back for her baby, at which time she sustained burns to her face, an arm and a leg.
Afraid the plane might explode, she walked into the jungle along the bank of a small river.Afraid the plane might explode, she walked into the jungle along the bank of a small river.
Details of how she survived are still sketchy, but local media said she came across a couple of indigenous people who helped her. She was able to survive by drinking coconut water from the coconuts the plane had been carrying, her brother said. She used big leaves to collect and drink rain water.
She was also able to drink coconut water from the coconuts the plane had been carrying, local media said. Ms Murillo eventually heard the calls over loudspeaker from the rescue helicopter which prompted her to make her way back to the crash site.
She reportedly heard the calls over loudspeaker from the rescue helicopter which prompted her to make her way back to the crash site.
She is being treated for her injuries in hospital. Her baby son is said to be unharmed.