The only survivor of the triplets: The story of Anna Maria after the earthquake
With 294 dead and over 3,900 injured, rescue efforts continue in Colombia. The Israeli delegation is operating in the city of Cali, where a tragic story of triplet sisters has emerged: two sisters and their parents perished in the collapse, while Anna Maria survived.
Six days have passed since the deadly earthquake in Colombia, and rescue forces, including the Israeli delegation, continue to search for signs of life under the rubble. One of the most painful stories to emerge is that of a set of triplets in the city of Cali, one of the areas most severely affected by the 7.4 magnitude earthquake, which has claimed at least 294 lives and left more than 3,900 injured.
Anna Maria survived the collapse of her home by finding shelter under a wooden table. Neighbors heard her screams and rescued her shortly after the four-story building collapsed. However, her twin sisters, Isabella and Sofia, who were trapped under a staircase, did not survive. Their parents, 63-year-old Jairo Saavedra and 61-year-old Victoria Caicedo, also perished in the disaster; rescuers found the couple embracing in their bedroom.
Until the earthquake, the 23-year-old sisters were inseparable. They studied marketing together, spent their final university semester in France, and worked in the same field in Cali.
«The neighbors say they heard Anna Maria screaming and immediately came to her aid and evacuated her to the clinic,» said Carlos Saavedra, the cousin of the survivor, in an interview with a French news agency.
According to her cousin, Anna Maria underwent surgery for a pelvic fracture and is currently recovering. «She is fully conscious, completely clear, and talking,» he said, noting that she is receiving psychological support. Speaking of the sisters, he added with sadness: «They were super-cheerful, loved spending time with their family, loved music, and loved salsa.»
On Friday evening, a joint rescue delegation from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the IDF Home Front Command arrived in Colombia. They immediately began operations in Cali as part of an mission titled «Brit Re'im» («Alliance of Friends»). The delegation is assisting local volunteers at two main sites of destruction.
At the city's university hospital, Israeli engineers are working alongside local professionals to provide guidance on clearing rubble without disrupting the hospital's critical operations. Simultaneously, teams under the command of Brigadier General Yossi Pinto have begun mapping and assessing damaged buildings to help local authorities prioritize recovery efforts.
«It is moving to see the Israeli rescuers and engineers working shoulder to shoulder with their Colombian counterparts,» said Ambassador Alon Lavi, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative in the delegation. «From the moment we arrived, we encountered exceptional cooperation and an amazing spirit of volunteering from the local population. We are proud to be here and to assist the Colombian people in this difficult hour.»
