The mother of four Colombian children who managed to survive for 40 days in the Amazon jungle fought with death for four days after their plane crashed, but later told the children to leave so they could survive on their own.
Father-of-two Manuel Ranoque told reporters on Sunday that his wife, Magdalena Mucutuy, had survived the crash but died four days later.
"My daughter told me their mother was alive for four days," he said.
"Before she died, she said to them: 'Maybe you should go. You will see how good your father is and he will give you the same great love that I have given you.”
The four siblings, aged 13, 9, 4 and an 11-month-old baby, were from the indigenous Huitoto community. They were traveling with their mother from the village of Araracuara to San José del Guaviare when the plane crashed due to weather.
The children's uncle, Fidencio Valencia, said they had survived by eating fariña, (cassava flour), seeds and using knowledge of rainforest fruits.
Malnourished and riddled with insect bites, the children were rescued alive from the Amazon on Friday afternoon. They survived severe storms in one of the most dangerous parts of the country, home to predatory animals and armed groups.
