Manaus (AM) – The Army’s 4th Aviation Battalion (4th BAvEx) received the mission to rescue children who needed medical treatment in three communities on Yanomami indigenous land in the Surucucu region of Roraima. The soldiers from the battalion left on December 31, heading for the communities, and only returned to Manaus on January 2. They worked together with the military of the 4th Special Border Platoon/Surucucu and with health professionals from the Special Indigenous Health District (DSEI).

In total, 20 people from the Kunamariú, Hokomaua and Yaritobi communities were evacuated to the Surucucu Base Station of the Yanomami DSEI. According to the pilot from the 4th BAvEx, Major Schiavon, the health professionals reported that the children were suffering from malnutrition and dehydration. One of them had malaria and the other pneumonia. He was also informed that, due to the rain, there was difficulty in planting and, due to food deficiency, the children were debilitated.

The mission faced the possibility of bad weather and the risk of it getting dark and losing visibility.

“One of the communities is almost on the border with Venezuela, we did a landing management. There was a risk of the weather closing in, but, thank God, we were able to accomplish the entire mission in all three communities,” Major Schiavon celebrated.

Due to the weather conditions, the military of the 4th BAvEx were only able to return to Manaus on January 2nd. “In aviation we usually travel a lot, including on commemorative dates. Of course we prefer to spend dates like this at home, with our families, but in a situation like this we go without hesitation, because we know the importance of the mission and how necessary it is,” concluded the pilot.

Difficult access

The team left the day after receiving the mission. The work started, with a flight plan, aircraft preparation, installation of the transfer tank, separation of materials, among other procedures. Then, the military went to the Air Base in Boa Vista (RR), in a flight lasting three hours. The commander of the Roraima Frontier Command/7th Jungle Infantry Battalion (C Fron RR/ 7th BIS), Colonel M. Junior, received the military.

After refueling and another hour and a half of flying, they arrived at the 4th Special Border Platoon/Surucucu (4th PEF Surucucu). Still at the PEF, a new weight and fuel schedule was made to leave for the rescue of the children in the communities.

“The mission was important because it was the only way to evacuate those children to receive proper medical care, since the nearest tribe is a five-day walk, by jungle trail, from the 4th PEF,” pointed out Major Schiavon.

*** Translated by the DEFCONPress FYI Team ***

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