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Three year old miracle girl found alive after 11 days in Siberian taiga - thanks to her puppy

By 0 and 0 and 0
11 August 2014

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'I carried Karina myself to the car, and she was light as a bird. She was hardly ten kilograms - but amazingly she was fully conscious.' Picture: SakhaPress

Details are emerging today of the heroic rescue of the girl in the remote Sakha Republic, thanks to her loyal and loving dog. 

Karina Chikitova was huddled in tall grass after wandering away from home, apparently following her father Rodion who had left to go to his native village on 29 July. 

The mother believed she and her dog had gone with her father and in this part of remote Siberia had no way to check because of a lack of phone connections, discovering the awful truth only four days later, when a search was launched.

The girl aged three years and seven months survived by eating wild berries and drinking river water in territory roamed by wild bears and wolves. 

Little Karina made herself a bed in the grasses, which are common to the south-west of Sakha in summer, but they meant that helicopters and drones were useless in searching for her in the bear-infested taiga.

Ininitally her family and the rescue teams were distraught when the dog - which has not been named despite its heroic role - returned to the girl's village of Olom in Olyokminsky district .

'Two days before we found Karina her puppy came back home,' said Afanasiy Nikolayev, spokesman for the Sakha Republic Rescue Service.

Rescuers discuss the plan of rescue operation


Rescuers gather for search


Rescuers in the forest

'That was the moment when our hearts sank, because we thought at least with her dog Karina had chances to survive'. Pictures: NTV

'That was the moment when our hearts sank, because we thought at least with her dog Karina had chances to survive - night in Yakutia are cold and some areas have already gone into minus temperatures. 

'If she was to hug her puppy, we thought, this would have given her a chance to stay warm during nights and survive. 

'So when her dog came back we thought 'that's it' - even if she was alive - and chances were slim - now she would have definitely have lost all hopes. Our hearts truly and deeply sank.'

But the puppy guided the rescuers to the stranded girl.

'It was Karina's puppy that helped the adults find the girl,' said a report by NTV news. 'When it came back home two days ago her family had lost hope, thinking this definitely meant Karina had no chance. 

'But then it was the puppy that showed rescuers the way to Karina, and in the morning she was found.' The report said  'she was conscious and looked surprisingly well. 

'She was given food and drinks, and then with her mother she was first sent to the district hospital and then to Yakutsk. 

'She doesn't want to speak about the time she spent in taiga, or not yet. The only thing she said that she was eating berries and drank water from rivers'.

Mowgli girl Sibeia

Karina sitting in the grass


Karina with her mother


Karina carried to the car of rescuers

'We only made 20 metres and saw Karina sitting in the grass'. ' Pictures: SakhaPress, NTV

Nikolayev said that the rescuers saw traces of her bare feet. 'We began searches, thinking that if she had lost her shoes she would try and stay away from the deep forest, because there is a lot of sharp sticks there. In the morning, almost right after we began searches - we only made 20 metres - we saw Karina sitting in the grass. We rushed to her, got her a little tea and grabbed her to run back to the car and doctors. 

'I carried Karina myself to the car, and she was light as a bird. She was hardly ten kilograms - but amazingly she was fully conscious.'

Ekaterina Andreeva, a psychologist with the rescue team, said: 'We can say that the girl's mind was not hurt. She is talking, she reacts normally to everything around her. She recalls what happened to her.'

Karina is now in hospital in Yakutsk where medics are seeking to build up her strength. She had no serious injuries like broken bones, only scratches, especially on her feet because she was walking without shoes for a long time.

She was badly bitten by mosquitoes and other insects.

Karina in helicopter safe and sound


Karina in the hospital

Karina had no serious injuries - only scratches, especially on her feet because she was walking without shoes for a long time. Pictures: YSIA, SakhaPress

Lyudmila Nikolaeva, head of children care department of Republican hospital Number 1, said: 'The patient was moved from intensive care to a regular ward, she is getting food in small portions'.

Around 100 people had been hunting Karina, accompanied by hunters and special forces soldiers in an area especially known for bears. 

Comments (67)

Where are the puppy pictures?...I see none!
valerie leonard, CT. USA
21/08/2014 03:46
34
5
enough of the god comments already.
Lena, Canada
20/08/2014 04:28
59
30
Surely God is speaking to us through this sacred child. The girl was in God's Hands all this time, and was unafraid. Her only companions were animals, who loved and cared for her. 2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." "The meek shall inherit the earth." We have become so money driven, vicious and stupid that God has sent a little child to show us the way, the get back on track.
Janis, North Dakota, USA
17/08/2014 02:32
18
90
Awesome story.Very happy to know that she survived after such a long period.Congrats to all the rescuers for saving her precious life.Wish you all the best in life miss Karina.
Zess, Itanagar,India
17/08/2014 02:13
17
2
I am from Siberia living in US and we, Siberians know -- Taiga is a sacred place! Taiga was definitely watching over Karina! Dogs are the best loyal friends. God bless all lost kids,.....
Elena,
16/08/2014 04:10
25
5
I am from Siberia living in US and we, Siberians know -- Taiga is a sacred place! Taiga was definitely watching over Karina! Dogs are the best loyal friends. God bless all lost kids,.....
Elena,
16/08/2014 04:09
7
4
Where is the dog????!!!
Crystal, Stockholm Sweden
16/08/2014 01:02
11
0
What a fine girl you are, Karina. You are truely blessed! Take good care of the dog.
Tri, Vietnam
15/08/2014 14:28
9
1
Great thanks to the rescue team and to all good people who tried their best to find the small brave girl, and the very best wishes to Karina! The small dog is a true hero.
This case is indeed a miracle and it is so nice to see that such things are still happening in our world. It is also nice to see that this good end story somewhat unites people from different countries in their good feelings and prayers. It is truly enjoyable to read the comments - no politics and politicians, sanctions, wars, threats, and so on.
Serge, Auckland, New Zealand
15/08/2014 09:24
14
0
I am a member of a Lions Club and would very much like to have the address to send a get well card to this little girls parents. Some day she can read it from the Dawson Lions Club in Dawson, Texas, USA and know that her ordeal touched us all around the world. Hats off to the Rescuers and that dog.1435
Pat Phagan, Dawson, Texas
15/08/2014 02:10
13
2
That dog has earned a spot at the dinner table for the rest of his life. It is wonderful to read an ending as happy as this one. Our best wishes to this family.
Father and dog owner, USA
15/08/2014 01:42
9
1
What a nice story. Thanks to her trusty dog to save the day. Karina is an adorable child and I am happy that she survived the ordeal. I could not miss the kind and loving ways of the search and medical personnel. It is enough to bring one to tears. It says a lot about this culture.
Wynn, Madison, WI, USA
15/08/2014 01:39
9
0
What a nice story. Thanks to her trusty dog to save the day. She is an adorable child and I am happy that she survived the ordeal. I could not miss the kind and loving ways of the search and medical personnel, enough to bring one to tears. It says a lot about this culture.
Wynn, Madison, WI, USA
15/08/2014 01:35
2
0
Incredible ! marvellous that she has been found alive and hopefully will make a full recovery ..........In the UK there is a bravey medal for a dog ........hope there is some recognition of him there !
SANDRA WRIGHT, FRANCE
14/08/2014 20:54
8
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Merci, merci beaucoup à tous les sauveteurs et à ce magnifique chien . Yes for a big steak!
Je vais gardé ce journal de la Sibérie dans mes favoris pour avoir de vos nouvelles à tous, amis sibériens.
Jocelyne, Francilienne FRANCE
14/08/2014 14:14
7
0

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