Colombian Children Safely Found, Efforts Shift To Locate Missing Dog

After the remarkable discovery of four missing Indigenous children who were found alive last week in Colombia, attention has now turned to another disappearance - that of Wilson, the heroic rescue dog.

Wilson, a six-year-old Belgian Shepherd, played a crucial role in the extensive search operation in the Amazonian wilderness, spanning several weeks, to locate the children who had survived a fatal plane crash on May 1.

"The search is not over," the Colombian army said in a statement on Friday. It added it would not "abandon a fallen comrade."

Following the recovery and safe return of the missing indigenous children, attention now focuses on locating Wilson, the rescue dog who went missing two weeks ago.

The soldiers involved in the mission have made a commitment to continue combing the rainforest in their efforts to find the tracking dog.

Wilson played a crucial role as part of the search party that reached the site of the crashed Cessna 206.

The aircraft, which experienced engine failure in May, carried seven passengers. Tragically, three adults, including the children's mother, Magdalena Mucutuy, lost their lives in the crash.

However, the four children, ranging from 12 months to 13 years old, miraculously survived the impact, Al Jazeera reported.

Following their courageous decision to venture into the wilderness for survival, the missing children left rescuers in search of any signs that could lead to their location. Notably, Wilson, the rescue dog, has been credited by the newspaper El Tiempo for finding a bottle that belonged to the youngest child, Cristin.

It was Cristin's older sister, Lesly, who pulled her out of the wreckage, and this discovery by Wilson has provided a glimmer of hope in the search efforts.

Wilson, with his remarkable sense of smell, embarked on a mission to track down the four children but ultimately vanished amidst the dense Amazonian jungle.

According to El Tiempo, there are indications that the dog may have reunited with the children. Astrid Cáceras, the director of the Colombian Family Welfare Institute, revealed that the children mentioned interacting with a dog while navigating through the forest.

Additionally, Lesly created a drawing portraying a brown dog with markings resembling those of Wilson, further suggesting a potential connection between them.

"It had accompanied them for a while," Cáceras said. But, she added, "they didn't know where it went."

During the search conducted by soldiers and Indigenous experts for the missing children, they came across evidence pointing to Wilson's presence.

Paw prints were discovered in close proximity to the small footprints believed to belong to the children. This finding further supports the possibility that Wilson has been accompanying and protecting the children throughout their ordeal.

"We are united to recover our canine commando Wilson from the jungle and bring him back," the armed forces wrote on their Twitter page. "The Operation Hope of the Military Forces of Colombia does not end until he is found!"

The Colombian military announced on Tuesday their intention to persist with Operation Hope, the name given to the initial recovery mission, with the primary objective now being the safe return of Wilson.

The military is determined to locate and bring back Wilson, recognizing the significance of his role and the need to reunite him with his human companions.