A River of Hope: A Mother's Search for Her Missing Son in Armero Tragedy

Martha Lucía López releases boats with faces of missing children, hoping one will find her son, Sergio Melendro, lost in the 1985 Armero tragedy. Hundreds of children went missing after Colombia's deadliest eruption. Families continue the search despite challenges, four decades later, clinging to hope.

Almost four decades have passed since the Armero tragedy in Colombia, yet families continue to search for their missing children. Martha Lucía López is one such mother. She releases boats into the river with the faces of missing children, hoping her son, Sergio Melendro, will find his way back to her.

Sergio was reported missing after the catastrophic Nevado del Ruiz volcanic eruption on November 13, 1985, which claimed approximately 25,000 lives. As the deadliest natural disaster in Colombia's recent history, it left Armero desolate and led to the disappearance of numerous children.

The Armando Armero Foundation documented 580 missing children, of which only a few have been found. Families, including López, are unwavering in their quest, relying on organizations, DNA collection, and newly declassified records in the ongoing search for answers.

(With inputs from agencies.)