Rescue personnel saved another survivor from the earthquake in Venezuela on Thursday; the man had been trapped under collapsed building debris for as long as eight days.
Foreign news agencies reported on 2 Jul 2026 that rescue teams successfully extracted Hernan Gil from beneath the rubble after he had been trapped for eight days following two consecutive strong earthquakes on 24 June, which caused thousands of deaths and widespread damage.
Authorities located Gil beneath the remains of the Gallerias Playa Grande shopping center in the city of Catia La Mar on Saturday (27 June), but the rescue operation took more than 100 hours due to over 140 tons of debris blocking access between him and the rescuers.
A Chilean firefighter who came to assist in Venezuela described the rescue as “the most technically complex and difficult operation I have ever encountered without a doubt.”
So far, Venezuelan authorities have confirmed 2,295 deaths and report tens of thousands still missing, while rescue teams from various countries continue searching for people trapped under collapsed buildings, regardless of whether they are alive or not.
The rescue effort for Gil was a collaboration between teams from Venezuela, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Portugal, and the United States, with multiple collapses occurring in the access tunnels until last night when the team finally made eye contact with him.
During the rescue, officials sent a small camera into Gil’s location, provided him with drinking water and an IV drip, and gave him a face mask and safety goggles to protect him from dust and debris created by the digging efforts.
Ricardo Arias from the Costa Rican Red Cross told local reporters that Gil’s condition is now stable. He miraculously avoided being crushed when the shopping center collapsed. “He told us that not even his nails were injured or trapped. He is doing very well.”
Officials stated that at the time of the collapse, Gil was inside a small concrete bunker, which apparently acted as a protective shell, shielding him from the over 140 tons of rubble that fell and pressed down above his head.
“He even requested a specific flavor of electrolyte drink,” said Marco Antonio Franco of the Mexican Red Cross to local media with a smile. “Of course, we fulfilled his request.”
“He was the one encouraging and telling us to keep fighting. He remembered members of our team and said, ‘I’m so glad you’re back and here with me again.’”
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Source:bbc