Rescue operation for survivor trapped six days after Venezuela earthquake
Rescuers are continuing efforts to free a survivor trapped under a collapsed car park six days after the Venezuela earthquake.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Rescuers in Venezuela are continuing a painstaking operation to free a 44-year-old man trapped under a collapsed car park for six days after the country's devastating earthquake. The survivor, identified as Hernan Gil Flores, a security guard at the building, was discovered when a Costa Rican rescue team using highly sensitive microphones picked up a faint sound deep underground. The operation, taking place in the capital Caracas, has been described as highly perilous. Rescuers are working three floors below ground level in a severely damaged subterranean car park. Because of the risk of further collapse, they cannot use mechanical equipment and are chipping away by hand. A small hole has been opened to pass water to the trapped man. The badly cracked columns are being propped up as crews work around the clock. One worker told reporters that Flores is 'not out of the woods yet'. Outside, his family has been holding vigil, keeping his photo as a talisman. The rescue has been taking much longer than anticipated. Meanwhile, the official death toll from the earthquake has risen above 1,700, with tens of thousands still missing. Aid groups have warned that the country's fragile healthcare system is being pushed to its limits.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included to show what was on screen during that part of the broadcast. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC One | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The death toll from the earthquakes was reported as over 1,700, with later reports exceeding 1,900. | ||||
| A Costa Rican rescue team used highly sensitive microphones to locate a survivor. | · | · | · | |
| A security guard named Hernan Gil Flores was trapped under a collapsed car park, with rescue efforts ongoing. | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV Evening News focused on the human drama and emotional weight of the rescue, framing it as a 'miracle of hope' amid widespread devastation. The report highlighted the painstaking, hand-by-hand nature of the operation and the family's vigil, while also providing broader context on the rising death toll and strain on healthcare. The tone was empathetic and narrative-driven, with the correspondent witnessing the scene firsthand.
- “Six days after the Venezuela earthquake, a remarkable discovery offers a glimmer of hope amid the devastation.”
- “Now they're having to prop up the severely damaged structure of this underground car park and as one worker told me, he's not out of the woods yet.”
- “How has he survived this long? And his wife is here too, holding vigil through the long, dark hours.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.