Rescue workers representing seven different nations are finalizing an operation to reach Hernán Gil, a security guard found buried beneath the remnants of a multi-storey parking garage in Catia La Mar. Gil, who is in his 40s, survived the massive twin earthquakes that devastated parts of Venezuela eight days ago. Emergency teams successfully established visual contact with him after navigating through nine metres of precarious debris.
Despite the harrowing circumstances, the trapped survivor remains remarkably upbeat, encouraging his rescuers as they work to clear a path. Ricardo Arias of the Costa Rican Red Cross confirmed that Gil is in stable condition, having received fluids and medical care through an intravenous drip. His survival is being attributed to the protective structure of his security booth, which prevented him from being crushed by the building’s collapse.
Teams from Venezuela, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Portugal, and the United States have been working continuously to extricate him. The operation has been fraught with complications, including several partial cave-ins of the access ducts built to reach him. Despite these dangers, rescuers report that Gil is conscious, communicative, and even requesting specific beverages, providing his own motivation for the teams working to bring him to safety.
