An Ecuadorian and a Venezuelan couple have been wanted for 10 days after falling into the waters of the Carchi River, on the international border

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Fire units from Ipiales (Colombia) and Tulcán (Ecuador), as well as divers from the National Police Special Operations Group, are intensifying the search for three people who have disappeared since February 20 of this year when, in different accidents, they fell into the international flood (Carchi River) while trying to cross the international border along the trails that join the two countries.

The rescuers carry out dives in order to search for the three adults, but the search task is made difficult by the rains that darken and make the flow dangerous.

The relatives of one of the disappeared, the Ecuadorian Carlos Molina, commented that when his relative fell, he managed to stay in the air for about 15 minutes on some branches, but he could not stand it and fell completely. There he was swept away by the current.

Foreigner launched from Rumichaca international bridge; his body was dragged about 100 meters by the water

Fernando Molina Tatés, a relative of the missing national, said that they presume that while he was suspended in the branches he froze due to the low temperature of the water of the tributary, lost his balance and was meandered by the current.

Relatives are asking Colombian fishermen to report on the likely presence of the body in neighboring territory, as the Carchi River becomes Guaytará on the Colombian side.

The other two missing persons are of Venezuelan nationality. It is a couple of migrants. The father, once he managed to cross a wooden bridge to his children to Ecuadorian territory, returned for his wife. But when they passed over a wooden bridge, it would have broken and both fell into the river. From there, the infants were orphaned.

The searches continue despite the fact that the rains have increased the torrent.

Young Venezuelan was rescued from a river on the northern border

Jhon Mora, from the Ipiales Fire Department, commented that in these cases, after 15 days, the process of decomposition of the bodies begins and the emanation of gases that makes them float.

“There are several places where they get stuck, but those places are full of water,” Mora said. The search is carried out on slopes and inaccessible and smooth roads, which put the lives of lifeguards at risk.

Gabriel Ayala, commander of the Tulcán Fire Department, said that the rescue groups travel between five and six kilometers between the viaduct and the La Ladrillera sector, by land and water, carrying out rescue work in the north of Tulcán.

Ayala reported that since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, 18 people have fallen into the waters of the international border, through the Carchi binational river, in their attempt to cross the border along these trails.

Of the 18 people, seven have died and three are still missing. (I)