The photographer behind a haunting image of a young girl captured just moments before her tragic death in a mudslide has spoken out about the photograph thirty years after taking it.
Over time, a poignant photograph featuring one of the victims of the Nevado del Ruiz volcanic eruption in Colombia has repeatedly appeared online, evoking sorrow in those who learn of its backstory.
Recently, the photographer himself has shared his thoughts on the photograph and the story of the 13-year-old girl who died shortly after it was captured.
The eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano occurred on November 13, 1985, in Armero, Colombia.
This catastrophic event not only spewed lava over the nearby town but also triggered devastating landslides and mudslides, exacerbating the destruction.
The disaster, now referred to as the Armero Tragedy, is believed to have claimed 25,000 lives, with countless others suffering severe injuries.
Omayra, a 13-year-old girl, was among the victims. She was trapped under rubble with the lower half of her body submerged in sewage water.
Despite efforts to rescue her, including those by emergency workers on the scene, Omayra’s legs were pinned beneath an immovable brick door, leading to her death after 60 hours of entrapment.
Frank Fournier, a French photographer, captured Omayra’s last moments, resulting in a powerful image that sparked global outrage.
During a lecture at the 2022 Xposure International Photography Festival, Fournier reflected on Omayra’s ordeal, praising her bravery and underscoring the significance of the photograph.
“For three nights and three days – stuck in a pool of sewage water at the bottom of a small hill, lay crushed under layers upon layers of fallen wall, a voice was to speak in the name of 28,000,” Fournier began.
“It was a voice of an ordinary little girl who will cross land and time, and will bounce and pierce the heart of millions of people… A commanding dignity, a stunning courage and a relentless kindness during this oppressive and painful hour reveals more than ever the magnitude of every single individual.”
Fournier concluded by expressing what the photograph represents: “The cruel fate of this lost life – here, but also in the other story imposed on all of us to preserve and share is the singularity of human life at all costs.”
“It is not only a practical, but ethical, political, imperative, as each individual has a right to life for the gain of everyone.”