The Tragic 60-Hour Struggle of Omayra Sánchez: A 13-Year-Old Trapped in Volcanic Mudflow
Omayra Sánchez’s Ordeal
Omayra Sánchez was at home when the lahar destroyed her house. Trapped beneath the rubble, she was submerged up to her neck in mud and debris. Despite the efforts of rescuers and journalists who quickly gathered around her, her legs were pinned under the remains of her home, and they lacked the equipment needed to free her without risking fatal injury.
For three agonizing days, Omayra remained trapped. Volunteers and Red Cross workers tried to make her as comfortable as possible. Divers attempting to rescue her found that moving the debris could further injure or kill her. Continuous rain worsened the situation, raising the water level and complicating the rescue.
Her Final Hours
Photographer Frank Fournier documented Omayra’s final moments. His haunting photos of the young girl drifting between consciousness and unconsciousness captured her unimaginable suffering. Throughout her ordeal, Omayra spoke with a remarkable calm, expressing concern about missing school and her family. As her condition deteriorated, she began to hallucinate, imagining she had to take a math test.
In her final moments, Omayra expressed heart-wrenching messages of love to her family: “Mommy, I love you so much, Daddy, I love you, brother, I love you.” After being trapped for more than 60 hours, Omayra died on November 16, 1985.
