Emergency workers in Venezuela rescued 44-year-old Hernán Alberto Gil Flores from a collapsed shopping mall parking lot on Thursday, approximately 100 hours after he was first located under 140 tonnes of rubble, according to the BBC. Gil was found alive eight days after twin earthquakes struck the country on June 24, killing about 2,300 people and leaving tens of thousands missing.
Rescue operation described as 'most complex'
A Chilean firefighter involved in the rescue described the operation as 'without doubt the most complex and technically difficult which I've had to tackle.' The rescue team used a search camera to locate Gil, whose fingers were seen waving through a small hole between layers of concrete and debris in the collapsed basement of the Galerias Playa Grande mall in La Guaira.
First responders maintained contact with Gil throughout the rescue, providing him with food, water, and medication through a hose and syringe, CNN reported. Footage showed Gil's head and shoulders emerging from the rubble, with a bloodshot eye and wearing a mask. Rescuers asked him to wear goggles to protect his eyes as they dug away the surrounding debris.
Survivor in stable condition, 'does not even have a crushed nail'
Gil was in stable condition upon his rescue, confirmed Ricardo Arias of the Costa Rican Red Cross to Venezuelan journalist Joan Camargo. 'He has told us that he does not even have a crushed nail,' said Arias, per the BBC. 'He is fine.'
Marco Antonio Franco from the Mexican Red Cross told Mexican news site Milenio that Gil was 'a cheerful man' and 'even asked for hydration drinks of specific flavours he likes.' Franco added, 'He himself drives us on, telling us to carry on. He recognizes our team members, saying “how nice that you came back and that you're with me again.”'
Wife describes 'days of great sorrow'
Gil's wife, Usbimar Gonzales, told CNN she had experienced 'days of great sorrow' after the earthquakes, fearing her husband might be dead. 'But once I found out that he was alive I saw a ray of sunshine,' Gonzales said. 'He was holding up like a hero.' She added that their children are waiting for Gil at home.
Gil worked as a security guard at the mall and was in a small concrete booth in the basement of the parking lot when the twin quakes hit. The booth apparently created a protective shell around him, shielding him from the collapsing rubble, the BBC reported.
