Rare rescue offers hope amid devastation
A Venezuela earthquake survivor has been pulled alive from the rubble eight days after the twin earthquakes that struck the country on 24 June, in a remarkable rescue that has brought hope amid one of the nation’s deadliest disasters.
Hernán Gil, a 43-year-old security guard, was rescued on Thursday following a complex international operation in Catia La Mar, La Guaira state, one of the areas hardest hit by the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes.
The disaster has claimed nearly 2,600 lives, left more than 12,000 people injured and, according to UN estimates, as many as 50,000 people remain missing.
International teams spent days reaching him
The rescue operation began on Monday and involved specialists from seven countries.
Gil was trapped inside a security booth after a seven-storey building collapsed on top of it. He was eventually brought to safety on a stretcher after rescuers dug a three-metre tunnel through the rubble.
“It’s truly a miracle,” his wife, Gusbimar González, said after he was rescued.
His survival has renewed hopes that other victims may still be found alive, despite rescue experts noting that the chances of survival after 72 hours beneath collapsed buildings are usually extremely low.
Rescuers kept him alive
Red Cross rescuer Luis Rodríguez said Gil was conscious, alert and in stable condition when he was transferred to an ambulance.
“He remained conscious throughout, was fully oriented, cooperative and all his vital signs were normal,” Rodríguez said.
According to rescue teams, they maintained communication with the Venezuela earthquake survivor throughout the operation, providing him with water, food, medication and fluids through a narrow opening using tubing and syringes until a safe rescue route could be created.
Video released by Chile’s fire service showed rescuers first detecting movement from Gil’s fingers using a search camera before eventually reaching him.
¡FINALMENTE LOGRAMOS RESCATAR A HERNÁN!
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) July 2, 2026
Después de más de 72 horas de trabajo y tras enfrentar una estructura sumamente inestable, réplicas, derrumbes y la necesidad de abrir una nueva vía de acceso para poder llegar hasta él, rescatamos con vida a Hernán Alberto Gil Flores, de… pic.twitter.com/wSuGDgGUXU
Families continue searching for loved ones
Rescuers from the United States, Chile, Mexico, Portugal, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Venezuela worked for more than three days to free Gil, celebrating his rescue with embraces and cheers.
Despite the successful operation, hope is fading for thousands of families still searching for missing relatives.
Social media has been flooded with photographs and appeals for information, while many residents accuse authorities of failing to respond quickly enough.
Some families say they have tried to search the rubble themselves because of shortages of rescue personnel and heavy machinery.
Death toll continues to rise
According to the latest official figures, 2,595 people have died and 12,400 have been injured, although authorities say the toll is expected to rise as search operations continue.
The UN estimates that as many as 50,000 people may still be unaccounted for.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez has declared seven days of national mourning and pledged that no victims will be buried in mass graves.
She defended the government’s response to criticism over delays in rescue operations, saying the number of emergency personnel deployed rose from 4,000 in the first 24 hours to 19,000 within two days.
Officials say the full scale of the disaster is still unknown.
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