Warning: this article contains spoilers for The Lost Children as well as brief mention of abuse
The Lost Childrentells the incredible story of four siblings stranded in the Colombian Amazon after a plane crash and the country’s search to find them.The Netflix documentary, directed by Oscar winner Orlando von Einsiedel, primarily follows the rescue efforts that were undertaken by the Colombian military and Indigenous groups who were familiar with the rainforest. Almost immediately following the crash, the story became a national news sensation, and the entire country was rooting for the children to be found.
The Netflix documentary features interviews with the family members of the children, especially their aunt and grandmother, who recall hoping for the children to be found as soon as possible while also grieving the loss of their sister/daughter, Magdalena.The Lost Childrenalso features interviews with Indigenous men who were part of the rescue group that ultimately found the children and with the military personnel who aided them, with their joint effort being dubbed Operation Hope. The documentary touches on the past conflicts between the two groups, but primarily chooses to focus its attention on the positive outcome when people choose to work together for a greater good.
What Happened To The Lost Children After They Were Rescued
All Four Children Were Found Alive
The Mucutuy children were stranded in the Amazon jungle for 40 days after the plane crash. Just when the search groups were close to giving up, they finally located the children.Following their rescue, the children were put under the care of Colombia’s Institute of Family Welfare.They still have regular contact with their family, including their aunt and grandmother, who appeared throughout the documentary. Manuel Ranoque, Lesly and Soleiny’s stepfather and Tien and Cristin’s father, who was revealed to be abusive toward Magdalena and the children, was put in jail following further evidence of abuse.
The documentary notes that Operation Hope was one of the biggest humanitarian projects in Colombia to date, and it is especially notable for the teamwork and collaboration between the military and the Indigenous groups who worked to find the siblings.The entire country and the world was relieved to hear that the children had finally been rescuedand that they continue to be in safe hands today.
How The Siblings Survived In The Amazon Rainforest After The Plane Crash
The Oldest Sibling, Lesly, Took Care Of Her Brother And Sisters
The three adults aboard the airplane all died in the tragic crash, but all four of the young children were able to make their way away from the plane and survive in the jungle.Aged 11 months, four years, nine years, and 13 years old, the children were led by Lesly Mucutuy, the eldest sibling.Based on the testimony that Lesly gave after being rescued, she woke up in the plane and pulled her siblings out to safety, realizing that they would need food and water to survive.
The rescuers found evidence of where the children had been based on fruit peels, clothes, diapers, and the baby’s pacifier, which helped in tracking the children.
Though Lesly was injured, they continued walking through the jungle for days. The rescuers found evidence of where the children had been based on fruit peels, clothes, diapers, and the baby’s pacifier, which helped in tracking the children. Lesly later told the investigators that she knew the baby needed the most food to survive, making her the priority. One of the rescue team members remarked inThe Lost Childrenthat Tien, Lesly’s four-year-old brother, would likely not have survived another couple of days in the jungle, making it very lucky that the rescue team found the children on day 40.
The Lost Children
The Lost Children, directed by Jorge Duran, Orlando von Einsiedel, and Lali Houghton, follows four indigenous children who rely on ancestral wisdom to survive in the Colombian Amazon after a plane crash, as an unprecedented rescue mission unfolds.
