The Colombian documentary 'The Lost Children' has become one of the most-watched films in Netflix's Top 10 Movies section.
This production stands out significantly within its genre. While its premise focuses on recounting the story of four children who survived a plane crash in the Colombian Amazon, the documentary goes far beyond that narrative.
On May 1, 2023, a Cessna 206 plane operated by Avianline Charters crashed following an engine failure. The unexpected accident marked the beginning of an extraordinary ordeal for four children traveling with three adults. Two passengers died on impact, while a third succumbed to injuries a few days later.
The survivors—siblings Soleiny, Tien, Lesly, and Cristin Ranoque Mucutuy, aged between 11 months and 13 years—were left alone to fend for themselves for 40 days without any adult guidance. Miraculously, the pilot managed to declare an emergency before losing contact, setting off a frantic search by the Colombian military and local Indigenous communities. Fifteen days after the crash, rescuers discovered the wreckage, but the children were still missing.
Search efforts intensified as clues, such as tiny footprints and a baby bottle, confirmed the children were alive. Rescuers even used loudspeakers to broadcast messages in the Witoto language, urging the children to stay in one place. These strategies ultimately worked, leading to their rescue 40 days later.
How did they survive?
According to rescuers, the children, part of the Indigenous Witoto community, relied on their deep knowledge of the Amazon rainforest. They survived on cassava flour salvaged from the plane, fruits, and native seeds. They built makeshift shelters and relied on their instincts to avoid predators. Despite their resilience, the children were found malnourished and covered in insect bites.
Today, the children are in good health in Colombia, but are embroiled in a legal custody battle following their mother's death in the crash. Their maternal grandfather and the father of the two youngest siblings are vying for custody amid allegations of domestic violence.
Where and when to watch the documentary
'The Lost Children, ' produced by the streaming giant Netflix and directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Orlando Von Einsiedel, premiered on November 14. It is currently the second most-watched film in the U.S. and is trending in multiple countries, including across Latin America.
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