Five survive 36 hours on plane in alligator-infested Bolivian swamp

Five people — including a child — were rescued in Bolivia after surviving 36 hours atop a crashed plane surrounded by alligators in the Amazon.

The small aircraft, missing for 48 hours, was found by local fishermen in the Beni Department’s swampy rainforest. The pilot, Andres Velarde, said an engine failure forced the emergency landing near the Itanomas River.

Trapped on the wreckage and unable to move due to nearby predators, the group survived on cassava flour and avoided attacks, possibly thanks to leaking fuel. A helicopter later airlifted them to safety in good condition.