Security Guard Survives Eight Days Trapped After Venezuela Quakes

WHO:

CNN - Usbimar Gonzales, the wife of Hernán Gil, expressed her relief, stating, “But once I found out that he was alive I saw a ray of sunshine. He was holding up like a hero.”

CNN - Hernán Alberto Gil Flores, 44, was the security guard rescued.

CNN - Usbimar Gonzales is the wife of Hernán Gil.

CNN - Sebastián Mocorquer is from the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination team.

CNN - Jorge Rodríguez is the National Assembly President and brother of the acting president.

CNN - Nayib Bukele is the President of El Salvador.

WHAT:

CBS News - Hernán Gil was brought out on a stretcher as elated rescuers cheered and hugged each other.

BBC News - Emergency workers managed to free Hernán Gil more than 100 hours after they had first located him under 140 tonnes of rubble.

CNN - Video shows the moment rescuers first made visual contact with Gil via a search camera fed into the collapsed basement of the building.

CNN - The Costa Rican Red Cross reported that Gil remains medically stable and has received intravenous serum, as well as water and hydration solutions.

CNN - Video shared by El Salvador President Nayib Bukele shows a rescuer delivering an orange liquid to Gil, potentially an electrolyte drink.

CNN - Hernán Gil was rescued after being trapped for eight days, and he was reported to be in “good condition” following a painstaking 70-hour operation.

CNN - Video shows Gil waving his fingers through a small gap between layers of thick concrete and debris, confirming his presence to rescuers.

ABC News - Hernán Gil was pulled alive from a collapsed basement early Thursday, marking the end of a grueling days-long operation that became a symbol of hope after the devastation of twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela eight days earlier.

CNN - Jorge Rodríguez announced that the death toll had increased by about 350 from the day before, bringing the total to at least 2,295.

CNN - A forensic pathologist reported processing around 400 bodies a day at a makeshift morgue in La Guaira.

BBC News - Hernán Gil was freed more than 100 hours after rescuers first located him under 140 tonnes of rubble.

CNN - Gil was reported to be medically stable and received intravenous serum, water, and hydration solutions during the rescue operation.

CNN - Video shows Gil responding to a rescuer, stating, “No, I’m not hurt. I’m just uncomfortable because of the rocks.”

CBS News - Hernán Gil was rescued after being trapped for eight days.

CNN - Gil was buried under 29 feet of wreckage from a collapsed shopping mall parking lot.

CNN - Rescuers confirmed Gil's presence using radar sonar and sound detection equipment.

CNN - At least 2,295 people have died due to the earthquakes, according to Jorge Rodríguez.

CNN - A forensic pathologist reported processing around 400 bodies a day at a makeshift morgue.

WHERE:

CNN - The rescue took place in La Guaira, Venezuela.

CNN - Gil was trapped under a collapsed multi-storey car park at the Galerias Playa Grande shopping mall.

WHEN:

CNN - The rescue operation concluded on a Thursday, eight days after the earthquakes.

CNN - Rescuers first located Gil under the rubble on a Sunday.

WHY:

CNN - The coastal city of La Guaira was one of the hardest-hit areas from the earthquakes, with ongoing rescue operations amid fuel and resource shortages.

CNN - The earthquakes caused significant destruction, leading to the collapse of buildings and trapping individuals.

HOW:

CNN - Rescue teams from several countries have been working together tirelessly to stabilize the tunnel, shoring it up, reinforcing it, and isolating it.

CNN - Rescuers used a search camera to first make visual contact with Gil on Wednesday, prior to his rescue.

CNN - Video posted on Thursday shows Gil’s head and shoulders half emerged from the rubble, wearing a mask and with a bloodshot eye.

CNN - Rescue teams from several countries worked together to stabilize the tunnel, reinforcing it and isolating it, despite challenges from collapses.

CNN - Rescuers communicated with Gil and provided him with water, food, and medication through a hose and syringe.

CNN - The rescue operation was described as “highly complex” due to the instability of the building and falling debris.

CNN - Rescuers used pickaxes, shovels, and their bare hands to clear the rubble.

(UPDATED July 3, 2026 01:27 UTC)

Rescue teams from several countries have successfully freed Hernán Gil after more than 100 hours trapped under 140 tonnes of rubble, bringing him out on a stretcher to cheers and hugs from elated rescuers. Video footage captured the moment when rescuers first made visual contact with Gil using a search camera, and he is currently reported to be medically stable, receiving intravenous serum and hydration solutions. El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele shared a video of a rescuer delivering an electrolyte drink to Gil, highlighting the collaborative efforts of emergency workers in this challenging operation.

(UPDATED July 2, 2026 23:20 UTC)

Hernán Gil has been rescued after being trapped for eight days, and he is reported to be in good condition following a painstaking 70-hour operation. His wife, Usbimar Gonzales, expressed her relief, saying, “But once I found out that he was alive I saw a ray of sunshine. He was holding up like a hero,” as video footage showed Gil waving his fingers through a small gap between layers of thick concrete and debris, confirming his presence to rescuers who made visual contact with him using a search camera.

(UPDATED July 2, 2026 21:20 UTC)

Hernán Gil was pulled alive from a collapsed basement, marking a significant moment in a days-long rescue operation that has become a beacon of hope following the devastating twin earthquakes in Venezuela. Meanwhile, the death toll has tragically risen by about 350, bringing the total to at least 2,295, as a forensic pathologist reports processing around 400 bodies a day at a makeshift morgue in La Guaira. Video footage shows Gil's head and shoulders emerging from the rubble, wearing a mask and displaying a bloodshot eye, highlighting the harrowing conditions of the rescue efforts.

(UPDATED July 2, 2026 17:30 UTC)

Hernán Gil has been freed more than 100 hours after rescuers first located him under 140 tonnes of rubble in the coastal city of La Guaira, which has been one of the hardest-hit areas from recent earthquakes. During the rescue operation, Gil was reported to be medically stable and received intravenous serum, water, and hydration solutions, and video footage shows him responding to a rescuer, saying, “No, I’m not hurt. I’m just uncomfortable because of the rocks.” Rescue teams from several countries collaborated to stabilize the tunnel, reinforcing and isolating it despite facing challenges from additional collapses.

(UPDATED July 2, 2026 15:44 UTC)

Hernán Alberto Gil Flores, a 44-year-old security guard, was rescued after being trapped for eight days under 29 feet of wreckage from a collapsed parking lot at the Galerias Playa Grande shopping mall in La Guaira, Venezuela. The rescue operation, which was highly complex due to the instability of the building, involved rescuers using pickaxes, shovels, and their bare hands to clear the rubble while communicating with Gil and providing him with essential supplies through a hose and syringe. Tragically, at least 2,295 people have died as a result of the earthquakes, with a forensic pathologist reporting the processing of around 400 bodies a day at a makeshift morgue.