A Spanish tourist who went missing while exploring the Colombian Amazon jungle has been found after living on just two things for three days.
Esther Jiménez Romeu had ventured into the depths of the jungle alongside her tour guide, who is still missing, at the end of last month when she became separated underneath the deep undergrowth.
The search team spent 48 hours trying to track the missing woman but difficult weather conditions complicated the rescue mission.
However, their efforts finally paid off when they discovered Esther in a reportedly healthy but exhausted condition.
One of those involved in the search confirmed that the young woman managed to survive on just water and oats during the worrying ordeal.
Alvaro Mendoza, a volunteer from Civil Defence, said: “She collected all the rainwater and was sustaining herself on oats with a little water; that was her diet. Despite everything, she had the strength to get out of there.”
Speaking of her relief and delight at finally being found, the 26-year-old said: “I am happy to be back thanks to all the community that has been helping me (…) I didn’t think they would arrive so quickly; they are a wonderful team.”
The authorities were first made aware of Esther’s disappearance after she managed to make contact with her friend in Norway. However, her tour guide, Horacio Santana Flórez still remains missing with a search team of 17 people currently trecking the vast jungle.
The local Mayor’s Office thanked authorities for their recovery mission after Esther’s discovery had been confirmed: “Thanks to the tireless work of the relief agencies, we have managed to locate the Spanish tourist who was missing in the Amazon jungle’, reads the document.”
