The photographer who took the heartbreaking picture of the young girl trapped in a volcanic mudflow for 60 hours explains why he didn’t help her.
Frank Fournier became renowned for his coverage of the 1985 eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Armero, Colombia.
The South American nation suffered a devastating eruption that claimed the lives of 20,000 residents after a deadly mixture of volcanic lava and ice – called lahar – rushed into the river valleys and entered the villages.
One of those victims was 13-year-old Omayra Sánchez Garzón, who tragically passed after being trapped in debris caused by a mudslide for 60 hours.
Several rescue efforts were made to save Omayra’s life, however, her legs were caught under a brick door, with her deceased aunt’s arms clutched tightly around her legs and feet, according to The Sun.
Each time someone tried to pull her free, more water pooled around her, which made it seem as if she would drown if they let her go. So, rescue workers placed a tire around her to keep her afloat, and gave her sweet food and soda cans during her last few hours.
Before closing her eyes for the final time, the teen shared a heartbreaking message on camera, saying: “Mommy, I love you so much, Daddy I love you, brother I love you.”
Omayra passed away on November 16, with her cause of death believed to be either gangrene or hypothermia.
Her horrific fate was known around the world because of a haunting portrait captured by French photographer Frank Fournier.
Check out the photo taken by Fournier below:
The photo showed that her eyes were so bloodshot that they looked black, her hands had whitened and her face had swelled.
The photographer opened up about the heartwrenching picture in a 2005 interview with the BBC, revealing that people asked him why he didn’t help the teen or get her out.
“But I felt the story was important for me to report and I was happier that there was some reaction; it would have been worse if people had not cared about it,” he continued. “I am very clear about what I do and how I do it, and I try to do my job with as much honesty and integrity as possible.”
Fournier believes the picture helped raise money “from around the world in aid” as well as “helped highlight the irresponsibility and lack of courage of the country’s leaders”.
“There was an obvious lack of leadership. There were no evacuation plans, yet scientists had foreseen the catastrophic extent of the volcano’s eruption,” he explained. “People still find the picture disturbing.”
He said the picture highlights “the lasting power of this little girl,” adding: “I was lucky that I could act as a bridge to link people with her. It’s the magic of the thing.”
