16 Missing in Venezuela Last Month Found Using Military and Drones
Praying at Mountain Farm... Safe Return
The scene of La Grita area in Venezuela where 16 missing persons who had been unaccounted for were found. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Sixteen people who had been missing for 20 days after saying they were "going on a religious retreat" were safely found.
According to Venezuelan media El Nacional on the 10th (local time), they went missing on the 22nd of last month in La Grita, a mountainous area near the Colombia border.
Various rumors circulated about their disappearance, including that they were "religious fanatics waiting for the end of the world" and "alien worshippers."
Due to the terrain, the police faced difficulties in the search but deployed over 160 personnel, drones, and search dogs to find them on a mountain farm.
Among the missing was a newborn just 20 days old, but fortunately, all were reported to be in good health.
According to local police, they were found praying the rosary and had decided to leave their cell phones at home to avoid distractions.
The exact denomination they belonged to is unknown, and immediately after being found, they were transported to a hospital for medical and psychological examinations.
Among them were six minors, some of whom had come without their guardians' permission, prompting the police to begin an investigation targeting the group's leader.
La Grita is known as a place where Catholic believers go for retreats (focusing on prayer and meditation away from daily life) and pilgrimages.
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