Five Survive 36 Hours in Alligator-Infested Bolivian Amazon Swamp After Plane Crash

Incident Overview

Five people-including three women, a child, and the 29-year-old pilot-survived a harrowing 36-hour ordeal after their small aircraft crashed into a swamp in the Bolivian Amazon, an area teeming with alligators and other predators. The group was found in “excellent condition” after being stranded atop their capsized plane, surrounded by dangerous wildlife and without access to drinking water1 3 4.

Crash and Immediate Aftermath

The aircraft, flying from Baures to Trinidad in Bolivia’s Beni Department, suffered engine failure mid-flight. Pilot Andres Velarde was forced to make an emergency landing near the Itanomas River, ultimately bringing the plane down in a swamp adjacent to a lagoon. The impact caused the plane to flip over, but all five occupants managed to escape and climb onto the overturned fuselage1 2 4.

Survival in Hostile Conditions

The group remained perched on the wreckage, surrounded by alligators that approached as close as three meters (about 10 feet)1 2 3 4 6.
The pilot and survivors reported seeing not only alligators but also an anaconda in the water, and they had to contend with swarms of mosquitoes2 3.
They could not drink the swamp water due to contamination and the presence of predators, nor could they leave their precarious sanctuary2 3 4.
Their only food was cassava flour, a local staple, which one of the passengers had brought along for the trip1 2 3 4 5 6.
The pilot speculated that leaking fuel from the plane may have deterred the alligators from approaching even closer1 2 3 4 5 6.

Rescue Operation

After the plane lost contact with radar, a search and rescue operation was launched. Local fishermen discovered the stranded group two days after the crash and alerted authorities. The survivors were airlifted to a medical facility by helicopter and were reported to be in surprisingly good health despite their ordeal1 2 3 4 5 6.

Statements from Authorities and Survivors

Wilson Avila, head of the emergency operations center for the Beni Department, confirmed all five were rescued in “excellent condition”1 3 4 5 6.
Ruben Torres, director of the Beni Region Health Department, praised the coordinated efforts of local institutions in the successful rescue, noting the significant speculation and concern during the two days the group was missing1 2 3 4 6.
Pilot Andres Velarde recounted the ordeal, expressing relief at their rescue: “We were happy because we could not survive another night. We were very tired. We couldn’t stand anymore, because we had to stand so we could keep an eye on the animals”2.

Context

Small planes, often referred to as “air taxis,” are commonly used in the region due to the lack of road infrastructure, making air travel essential but also risky in remote areas4 6.

Summary Table

Survivors	Ordeal Duration	Location	Hazards Faced	Food/Water	Rescue
3 women, 1 child, 1 pilot	36 hours	Swamp in Bolivian Amazon	Alligators, anaconda, mosquitoes	Cassava flour only; no water	Found by fishermen, airlifted to hospital

The survival of all five individuals, despite the extreme conditions and presence of dangerous wildlife, has been described as nothing short of miraculous5.

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