Father and Son Rescued Alive After Five Days Under Venezuelan Earthquake Rubble

A father and his son were successfully rescued alive after being trapped for five days beneath the rubble of a collapsed building in La Guaira, Venezuela, following severe earthquakes that struck the country. The rescue operation, conducted by French and American rescue teams, lasted 12 hours and involved the use of specialized search cameras to locate the pair buried three stories deep. The rescuers communicated with the trapped men, providing them with food, water, and medication during the painstaking extraction process.

The two survivors were evacuated on improvised stretchers to awaiting ambulances, appearing exhausted but alive, amid crowds gathered in the debris-strewn streets. French civil defense personnel involved in the rescue described the victims as extremely weak, typical for individuals trapped under rubble for several days. The teams had to dig from above due to the risk of further collapse.

This successful rescue brought a glimmer of hope to the ongoing efforts, especially since experts note the chances of survival drop sharply after 72 hours. Alongside the French and American teams, Argentine rescuers with sniffer dogs also participated in the operations. Over the weekend, at least 33 people were rescued by various aid groups working in the area.

La Guaira, a coastal state, suffered the heaviest damage from the earthquakes that struck on Wednesday. Official reports state that the disaster has claimed at least 1,450 lives, with tens of thousands still missing amid the widespread destruction.