Rescuers from Chile and the USA reached Hernán Gil Flores after an operation lasting more than three days.Image: keystone
The severe earthquakes in Venezuela claimed many victims. Hernán Gil Flores was miraculously saved. Now he tells about his torment.
Jul 6, 2026, 3:39 am07/06/2026, 03:40
The news of his rescue went around the world: eight days after the devastating double earthquake, Hernán Gil was rescued alive from the rubble of a collapsed building on Thursday. “I was reborn,” the 43-year-old told the AFP news agency on Sunday. Gil is currently recovering from his injuries in a hospital.
The security guard was buried under the rubble of a collapsed multi-story building in the particularly hard-hit town of Catia La Mar during the earthquake on June 24th, in which, according to the latest information, more than 3,300 people died. “The second quake was incredibly strong,” said the 43-year-old. As the building collapsed, stones fell on his head. «I lost consciousness for a moment. When I came to again everything was dark, from then on everything was uncertain.”
Gil couldn’t see anything and couldn’t hear anyone. He called for help in vain. “And at that moment despair overwhelmed me,” he reported. It was dark and he practically couldn’t move. «I prayed a lot. I cried out to God and said, ‘My God, why me? Why so? Please, at least let me see my children.”
Gil: “Spend a long vacation on the beach”
Gil lost track of time, but on the third day he heard footsteps, “albeit very far away,” he reported. He started calling for help and finally he heard an answer. At that moment he thought: “There is a spark of hope.” Then a dramatic rescue operation began, involving emergency services from seven countries.
Two rescuers from Chile and the USA reached him after a mission of more than three days. “The hardest part was getting out of there,” recalled Gil, whose legs were caught in a chair.
The 43-year-old has already been able to speak to his children via video call from his hospital bed. His wife doesn’t leave his side. Gil doesn’t know what will happen next for him. The only thing that is certain is that he wants to celebrate his son’s birthday on July 15th and have a long vacation at the beach.