Photographer’s tragic admission over death of girl whose eyes turned black in final moments
Warning: This article contains content some readers may find upsetting
In 1985, 20,000 residents in the town of Armero tragically died when the Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupted.
And a number of them did survive the initial eruption, but the likes of Omayra Sánchez were caught in the mudslide or trapped in the debris.
You might know the 13-year-old better as the girl with the black eyes in one of the most infamous, heartbreaking images.
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Frank Fournier photographed the teen in her final moments, as the haunting photo showed her caught up in the aftermath of the eruption before she eventually died.
With the image becoming so notorious, questions were raised about why she wasn’t saved, however the photographer explained how he was ‘totally powerless’ as he explained why she tragically couldn’t be saved.
What happened to Omayra Sánchez?
When Fournier arrived in Armero, he met a farmer who took him to the young girl ‘who needed help’.
The Frenchman explained that she was ‘trapped from the waist down by concrete and other debris from the collapsed houses’.
“Dawn was just breaking and the poor girl was in pain and very confused,” he explained to the BBC decades later. “She could sense that her life was going.”
Omayra was ‘drifting in and out of consciousness’, having been ‘in a large puddle’ for nearly three days.
And about three hours after Fournier got there, she sadly died.
Tragic explanation of why Omayra couldn’t be saved
Multiple rescue efforts were made to get Omayra out but in reality, those who tried to save her could do little but comfort her.
It was later reportedly discovered that her legs had been trapped by a brick door and her dead aunt’s arms under the water.
But unfortunately, rescuers still didn’t have the heavy equipment needed to be able to pull her out. A tyre was instead put around Omayra to keep her afloat while people brought her sweets and drinks.
Fournier said it was ‘impossible’ to rescue her, as he explained: “There was an outcry - debates on television on the nature of the photojournalist, how much he or she is a vulture.
“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. 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.
“I believe the photo helped raise money from around the world in aid and 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.”
Sad admission following Omayra’s death
As highlighted, the authorities did face criticism for the handling of the tragedy, with a number of journalists claiming they did not see any of Colombia’s police force or army dispatched to join the rescue efforts.
Colombia’s minister of defence, General Miguel Vega Uribe, was the highest-ranking official in charge and argued that the government did all it could.
“We are an underdeveloped country and don’t have that kind of equipment,” he said at the time, meaning that even if rescuers had located Omayra they wouldn’t have been able to save her.
He added that troops couldn’t be moved in the area ‘because of all the mud’.
Jess Battison