Young Man Rescued Alive After Five Days Under Debris in Venezuela

In a remarkable display of international cooperation and perseverance, a 21-year-old man, Aaron Levi Cantillo Vargas, has been rescued alive after being trapped for five days beneath the rubble of the OPP 25 building in La Guaira, Venezuela. The building had collapsed following recent earthquakes.

The successful extraction was celebrated by El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, who announced the news via social media. He highlighted the intensive, hours-long coordinated effort by emergency teams from Venezuela, Mexico, and El Salvador. Bukele expressed gratitude to God for the miracle and affirmed the commitment to saving more lives.

Reaching Cantillo Vargas involved overcoming significant challenges. Rescue teams located him after hours of work, and a doctor from the Salvadoran contingent managed to provide him with fluids, a critical factor for his survival. A major obstacle was the body of another victim, found blocking the path to the survivor, which rescuers had to carefully remove with the utmost respect before proceeding.

This rescue underscores the critical role of international aid in disaster response. El Salvador deployed a humanitarian contingent of 300 rescuers, paramedics, canine units, and 50 tons of equipment to assist Venezuela, which is facing a severe crisis after earthquakes that have caused widespread destruction and claimed over 1,400 lives according to official counts. The mission also focused on other rescue efforts, including a 15-year-old girl trapped with her pet.