Man rescued alive after eight days beneath Venezuela earthquake rubble

A 43-year-old security guard was rescued alive on Thursday after spending eight days trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed building following the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela, in a rare moment of hope amid the country's devastating disaster.

Hernan Gil was pulled from the remains of the seven-storey building where he worked in Catia La Mar, a coastal area in La Guaira state that was among the worst-hit regions in the earthquakes.

The rescue operation lasted three days, with teams carefully removing debris before finally reaching Gil. He was lifted onto a stretcher as rescuers applauded, embraced one another and celebrated the successful operation before he was taken away in an ambulance for medical treatment.

The complex rescue involved emergency personnel from seven countries — Venezuela, Chile, the United States, Portugal, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Mexico — who worked together to free the trapped man.

More from World

During the final stage of the operation, two rescuers entered a three-metre tunnel excavated through the debris to reach Gil, while about 30 others cleared rubble from the building's parking area.

Rescue teams also used a rotary hammer to cut through a metal plate after assessing the risk that a neighbouring structure could collapse, making the operation even more hazardous.

To sustain Gil while efforts continued, rescuers regularly supplied him with water and installed a tube to provide a continuous flow of air.

"I have never seen anything so difficult. I don't know if there's ever been such a long rescue like this," one rescuer at the scene said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The dramatic rescue came as Venezuelan authorities reported that the death toll from the twin earthquakes had risen to 2,295, with more than 11,000 people injured, according to National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez.

'Inaction'

Authorities have set up assistance points throughout the city's battered streets. But survivors say they feel more at ease with foreigners and volunteers than with their own government.

"The people helping us here are those who come from outside," said Tibisay Mendez. "The police and officials they've sent here just stand around taking photos and making TikToks," she added.

"The government's inaction is unjustifiable," said Izaguirre. "If Venezuela had many resources, state agencies could use them to help us," he said.

"But they just sit back and only wait for the support we so badly need to come from other countries."

With inputs from agencies