Colombian students walk on the wild side: Risky rope bridge commute over crocodile-infested river

Photo: Sanook

Over 70 Colombian students in rural Villalaydee, near the city of Santa Marta, risk their lives daily by crossing a makeshift bridge to go to school. The bridge, made from a water pipe with hanging ropes for balance, spans the crocodile-infested  Kaira River.

Resident Dorisa Fadul appeals to the city’s responsible authorities for safe bridge construction for Colombian students, but her request seems to be ignored.

“We had a wooden bridge that we built ourselves, but it began to deteriorate in January this year and completely collapsed on July 1.”

More than just facing the risk of being swept away by the river at any time when crossing this rope bridge, these over 70 students could also fall prey to crocodiles, abundant in the Kaira River.

Eduardo Fadul, who helped build the original bridge in the area, knocked on the mayor’s…