International Rescuers Monitor Man Trapped Under Rubble
Rescue teams from seven countries are making gradual progress toward a man who survived the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela eight days ago.
Emergency workers located security guard Hernán Gil on Saturday beneath the ruins of a multi-storey car park in Catia La Mar, but have only recently been able to establish visual contact with him.
Despite being buried under nine metres of highly unstable rubble, rescuers report that Gil, who is in his 40s, remains "in good spirits" and is encouraging them.
His wife has described his survival as "a miracle." Nearly 2,300 people have been confirmed dead from the earthquakes that hit Venezuela on 24 June, with tens of thousands still missing.
Approximately 350 rescuers have been working tirelessly to free Gil since his location was confirmed more than 100 hours ago.
Teams from Venezuela, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Portugal, and the United States are on site attempting to rescue him.
The access ducts constructed to reach Gil have collapsed several times, underscoring the dangers faced by both the rescuers and Gil himself.
Overnight, search teams finally established visual contact with Gil.
In footage recorded by a small camera inserted into the rubble where Gil is trapped, a Chilean firefighter can be heard requesting Gil to turn his head toward the camera.
One of Gil's eyes appears bloodshot, and he is wearing a face mask, which rescuers had earlier passed to him through a small hole to protect him from dust and debris generated by their efforts.
The firefighter also asks him to wear goggles to shield his eyes as rescuers continue carefully excavating the surrounding rubble.
Hundreds of rescue workers from seven countries are striving to free Hernán Gil.
Ricardo Arias of the Costa Rican Red Cross told local journalist Joan Camargo that Gil was in stable condition.
They have been able to provide him with water and connect him to an intravenous drip.
Arias stated that Gil appeared to have miraculously avoided being crushed when the shopping centre collapsed.
"He has told us that he does not even have a crushed nail,"
"He is fine."
Marco Antonio Franco from the Mexican Red Cross described Gil as "a cheerful man."
He told Mexican news site Milenio that the survivor "even asked for hydration drinks of specific flavours he likes," adding,
"of course we indulged him."
Franco said,
"He himself drives us on, telling us to carry on. He recognises our team members, saying 'how nice that you came back and that you're with me again'."
According to Franco, the rescuers and Gil maintained steady conversation about his family and the challenging rescue operation.
Parts of the shopping mall remain standing, but the car park has been flattened.
Gil was first located on Saturday.
Wagner Leiva, Head of Emergency Response for the Costa Rican Red Cross, recalled the moment:
"We were removing and cutting some slabs when we were told that it seemed there was someone alive (...). We went down to the basement, and one of our colleagues, after calling out and listening, detected that someone was indeed answering."
The security guard had been on duty in a small concrete booth in the basement of the parking lot adjacent to the Galerias Playa Grande mall in Catia La Mar when the twin earthquakes struck.
It appears the booth created a protective shell around him, shielding him from the 140 tonnes of rubble that collapsed around and on top of him.
Leiva told that due to the precarious nature of the rescue efforts, progress had to be very slow.
"As the days passed, we gained access to him and gave him water. This task lasted nearly three days to give him the first sip of water. Last night, at approximately 22:00 (local time), we had physical contact with Hernán."
Rescuers hope to free Gil within the next 24 hours.
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