Yeffer OrlandoSanchez Fonseca (right) after he was rescued
This is the incredible moment a young soldier was found by his fellow servicemen after being missing for 23 days in the dense jungle.
Without food or water he survived by drinking his own urine and ate a raw tortoise, as he sang his favourite rap songs to keep himself calm.
Columbian soldier Yefer Orlando Sanchez Fonseca became separated from his group on Saturday, March 5 during a military control on the area.
The region is notoriously rife with armed groups, including the guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
As the footage shows, the 26-year-old was quickly fed and given water by his comrades, then airlifted to safety.
He had clearly lost a lot of weight as his uniform was hanging off his slimmer frame.
An official statement said: "More than 500 men of the national army were involved in a detailed search, including aerial surveillance from the Colombian Air Force."
The man was finally found by a passing soldier Carlos Enrique Tunubala.
His rescuer said: "He had no food or water on him, just a gun, munitions, a helmet, some explosives, a machete."
Yefer said he was on the end of a group of 40 soldiers when he stopped for a second and lost his way.
He said when he ran out of water, he tried to drink his own urine although that came with little success, but ate a Morrocoy tortoise.
"Thanks to the survival training I learnt what I could eat," he said. "It crossed my path and I had to take advantage. I had to eat it raw; I was really hungry by then."
He also described how he had tried to get out of the jungle, but had come across FARC Guerrillas, who he managed to hide from.
"I almost didn’t sleep, I stayed glued to my gun, always alert," he said.
There was a tense moment when he was discovered, as guns were drawn until both parties realised they were on the same side.
He said: "I am thankful to see my mum again and my companions from my battalion."
Watch the video:
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