On September 26, Angelica Gaitan, aged 46, was found floating in the sea, around two miles away from the beach.
She was in Puerto Colombia, Atlantico. Discovered by a fisherman, she was hypothermic and very weak.
According to official reports, Gaitan had been missing for two years, having ran away from her family. Upon being rescued, Gaitan was taken to the hospital.
Gaitan talked to local news media after recovering. She claimed her intention was to commit suicide. She ran away from her husband and family due to his repeated physical and emotional abuse.
According to Gaitan, she was subjected to domestic violence for 20 years before she disappeared. Her husband allegedly beat her brutally, even during her pregnancies.
In an interview with RCN Radio, she claimed, “In the second pregnancy the abuse continued and I could not get away from him because the girls were small.”
“Many times I reported him but the police took him for 24 hours and when he was in the house again, the assaults returned”, she continued.
As she was forced to cut herself off from close friends and family, she felt too isolated and decided to end her life.
The fishermen who rescued her told La Libertad, a local news channel, that they saw a figure floating in the water. Initially, they thought Gaitan was a log. However, upon seeing her struggle, they realized she was alive.
One fisherman recorded the incident. In the video, we see the boat approach Gaitan with some yells and shouts in Spanish.
Another fisherman throws a rope around Gaitan, dragging her to safety. Gaitan was almost completely unresponsive at this time. Later, she reported she was out there for almost eight hours.
As the video ends, Gaitan begins crying. Regarding being saved, she stated, “I was born again, thank God. If I had had an opportunity or a help, I would not make that decision. Now I am very grateful because God gave me a new opportunity to move forward.”