Miraculous Survival: Five Rescued After 36 Hours in Alligator-Infested Swamp Post Plane Crash**

A small plane made an emergency landing in an alligator-infested swamp in Bolivia, leaving five survivors stranded for 36 hours. Remarkably, they were rescued in good health, thanks to a collaborative search effort following a reported engine failure during their flight.**

Five individuals have come through a remarkable survival story after enduring 36 hours on top of a small plane in an alligator-infested swamp in Bolivia's Amazonas region following a forced emergency landing. The aircraft was located by local fishermen on Friday, two days after it had been declared missing.

The group included three women, a child, and the 29-year-old pilot, who were reported to be in "excellent condition," according to Wilson Avila, head of the emergency operations center for the Beni Department. The rescue operation kicked off on Thursday, prompted by the plane disappearing from radar in central Bolivia.

Pilot Andres Velarde shared that he had to perform an emergency landing on an inhospitable swamp near the Itanomas River due to an engine failure while flying from Baures to Trinidad. He recounted the gripping experience of landing as the plane lost altitude rapidly, forcing them to take refuge atop the aircraft.

“They stood on top of the plane while being surrounded by alligators that came within three meters of us,” Velarde recounted, adding that he suspected leaking fuel deterred the aggressive reptiles. The survivors also spotted an anaconda in the water, highlighting the dangerous wildlife present.

During their 36-hour ordeal, they relied on local cassava flour brought along by one of the passengers for sustenance, as they had no access to water and could not move due to the proximity of the alligators.

The rescue effort commenced after fishermen discovered the submerged plane, leading to the deployment of a helicopter to transport the survivors to nearby medical facilities. Ruben Torres, Director of the Beni Region Health Department, expressed relief and joy at the collaborative effort that led to the successful rescue, emphasizing that various organizations worked cohesively in response to the situation.