Caracas, July 2: In a remarkable rescue operation, a man was pulled out alive after spending eight days trapped beneath the rubble of a building that collapsed during the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, claiming thousands of lives.
The survivor, identified as Hernán Gil, was rescued by emergency workers after being trapped under nearly 140 tonnes of debris. Rescue teams had located him more than 100 hours earlier but faced immense challenges in reaching him due to the unstable structure and repeated collapses of access tunnels.
Describing the operation as one of the most difficult he had ever undertaken, a Chilean firefighter said the rescue was “without doubt the most complex and technically difficult” mission of his career.
The multinational rescue effort involved teams from Venezuela, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Portugal and the United States, who worked tirelessly around the clock to free Gil despite the hazardous conditions.
During the operation, rescuers established visual contact with Gil using a small camera inserted through the rubble. Footage showed him conscious and responsive, wearing a face mask that had been passed to him earlier to protect him from dust. Rescue workers also provided him with protective goggles, water and an intravenous drip while carefully removing debris around him.
Ricardo Arias of the Costa Rican Red Cross said Gil was in stable condition and had narrowly escaped being crushed when the shopping centre collapsed.
The rescue has emerged as a rare moment of hope amid the devastation caused by the powerful earthquakes, which have left nearly 2,300 people dead and tens of thousands still missing. Rescue and recovery operations continue across the affected areas as authorities race to locate more survivors.
Recent Comments