Miracle as mother and baby survive five days in the jungle after plane crash

A mother and her baby have been found alive in the Colombian jungle four days after their plane crashed - in what officials are calling a “miracle”. Nelly Murillo, 18, and her infant son Yudier Moreno were discovered on Wednesday near the site where the Cessna 303 came down on Saturday. The pair were taken by helicopter to a hospital in the northwest of the country, but Ms Murillo has only minor injuries and burns while the boy was apparently unhurt.

It’s a miracle. It is a very wild area and it was a catastrophic accident. His mother’s spirit must have given him strength to survive.

Colonel Hector Carrascal, Colombian Air Force

Unbelievably, baby Yudier had no injuries at all, while his mother was treated for wounds and minor burns. Rescuers searching for the pair found the crashed plane, with the body of the pilot, Captain Carlos Mario Ceballos, inside. Images from the crash site show the vehicle completely mangled and broken apart on the ground. A team of 14 spent several days scouring dense bushland before finding the pair. The plane was travelling between Nuqui and Quibdo in northwest Colombia when it came down. The cause of the crash was not immediately clear.

Colombia plane crash Americas