After being missing for more than 18 hours, the seven people who got lost on a path on Monserrate hill, in Bogotá, They were finally found by the authorities and descended from the mountain, in an operation that culminated in the reunion with their families and the verification of their state of health.
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Among those rescued were five minors, which increased the concern of their loved ones and motivated a wide institutional deployment for their search.
The case originated this Sunday, April 12, when the group began a tour of the trails of the emblematic point of the capital in the morning hours. The authorities indicated that the loss of trace occurred around 11:00 am
From that moment on, the Bogotá Metropolitan Police and the Official Fire Department began search work along the authorized roads, without being able to locate them during the first hours, which led to intensifying operations during the night.
They find seven missing people on the Monserrate hill in Bogotá Photo:THE TIME
The families’ anguish grew with the passage of time. Yover Molina, father of one of the disappeared, said in an interview with Citytvfrom the publishing house EL TIEMPO, the moment in which he noticed the absence of his relatives: “They were gone since the morning hours when I went out to work and then I started dialing them, but they didn’t answer my cell phone. At one in the afternoon I started to worry because at that time they had to be, more or less, here in the neighborhood, but nothing at all.”
Given the lack of response, he decided to go personally to the place to request help “and put the complaint in the CAI for the search.”
Fredy Gerez, father of another of the minors, explained to EL TIEMPO that the group was part of an organized community that carries out cultural and recreational activities “like sports, like dancing, like having a war band, and doing entertainment activities. And they had the opportunity or they talked to go up to Monserrate, but the idea was that they went up to Monserrate along the path and went down,” he said.
The father of one of the children who disappeared on the Monserrate hill, in Bogotá, spoke Photo:Archive / TIME / FIREFIGHTERS
Likewise, he detailed the itinerary planned for the day in the group, made up of minors 10, 11, 15 and 16 years: “We were waiting for them at half past eleven, because we were going to be home at twelve o’clock. They came up at six in the morning and they were supposed to be home.”
Video of the reunion and arrival of the seven missing people in Monserrate
Reunion of the seven missing people. Photo:MAURICIO MORENO
THE TIME was at the work point established by Bombers of Bogotá, Civil Defense, PONALSAR, Civic Police and Idiger to attend to the emergency from the afternoon hours of this April 12. Search strategies were carried out at the scene to find the whereabouts of the young people.
This was detailed by Sergeant William Díaz, who in a previous communication indicated that aerial technology was used.
“We are located in the ‘tanks of silence’ carrying out a overflight over the northern area of Monserrate, trying to locate them along the ‘Pico del Águila’ and the trails that are in this sector,” he noted at that time.
Reunion of the seven missing people. Photo:MAURICIO MORENO
Likewise, he explained supporting aircraft that have thermal sensors “to be able to identify heat sources and be able to locate the people who are currently lost on the hill.”
During the morning of this Monday, the Official Fire Department confirmed the outcome of the operation and the discovery of the hikerspointing out that “the seven people who were missing have already been found and are being lowered from the top of the hill.” In the report, delivered around 8 in the morning, they stated that “upon descending, they will be taken to the PMU for an evaluation of their health status, and then handed over to their families.”
The arrival of the group was recorded on video, evidencing the moment when the rescued descended accompanied by emergency teams and were reunited with their families, who had remained in the place waiting for news throughout the night.
The Bogotá Fire Department confirmed the discovery of the group at 8 in the morning. Photo:MAURICIO MORENO
In one of the recordings it is observed that The minors arrived accompanied by uniformed officers. One of the rescued people, as seen in the footage, arrived with scratches on his legs and in a high state of disorientation.
“They found the 7 boys with hypothermia, with controlled medical situations, but they had spent all night and yesterday in precarious conditions,” Alejandro Ortiz, director of Civil Defense, told the media.
🔴After being missing for more than 18 hours, the seven people who got lost on a trail on Monserrate Hill, in Bogotá, were finally found by the authorities and descended from the mountain, in an operation that culminated in the reunion with their… pic.twitter.com/05aXViXRkP
— EL TIEMPO (@ELTIEMPO) April 13, 2026
The operation included the participation of Firefighter units from the Chapinero and Historic Center stations, the SART Specialized Technical Team for Unmanned Aircraft, the Bogotá Metropolitan Police, the Civil Defense, PONALSAR and other risk management organizations, which articulated efforts to locate the hikers in a wooded area of the hill.
🔴In the last few minutes, authorities confirmed the discovery of the seven missing people on the Monserrate hill. At this time they are evaluated by medical personnel and reunited with their families. pic.twitter.com/waqE7oXWOd
— EL TIEMPO (@ELTIEMPO) April 13, 2026
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