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In 2003, the Brazilian Air Force carried out a secret operation in Peru to rescue 71 hostages held by the Shining Path guerrilla group. Using an advanced technology jet, the R-99B, the mission was successfully carried out without violence, demonstrating the efficiency of the FAB in high-risk and secretive situations.
Have you heard about the secret operation by the Brazilian Air Force that defied the Amazon jungle and the violence of the Sendero Luminoso group to save dozens of hostages? This episode, kept secret for almost two decades, is one of the most shocking and risky missions ever carried out by Brazilian military personnel.
In June 2003, at the request of the Peruvian government, the FAB embarked on a secret mission that involved cutting-edge technology and extreme strategy to rescue 71 people in the middle of the dense forest.
The details and outcome of this rescue are worthy of an action film, but few know the impact and tensions that marked this historic operation in South America.
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A call for help and the mobilization of the FAB
On the night of June 9, 2003, Brazil received an emergency call. Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo had requested urgent help from the Brazilian government to rescue 71 hostages kidnapped by Sendero Luminoso, a Maoist-oriented guerrilla group operating in the country's Amazon regions.
Among the victims were employees of the company Techint, who were working on the construction of a gas pipeline in Ayacucho, and Peruvian police officers.
The situation was critical. The guerrillas demanded a ransom in cash, as well as weapons and explosives, and threatened reprisals if their conditions were not met.
The Peruvian government, aware of the FAB's expertise and advanced tracking technology, turned to Brazil as a last resort to resolve the kidnapping without violence.
Mobilization in record time
According to Istoé magazine, Brazil responded quickly to the call. In Air base from Anápolis, in Goiás, a team of eight Brazilian Air Force soldiers hurriedly boarded an R-99B jet.
Equipped with state-of-the-art sensors, the Embraer The R-99B has advanced aerial surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, which allow it to track large areas and identify specific targets, even in remote and densely wooded regions.
In the early hours of June 10, the FAB plane landed in Lima, where the Brazilian military personnel were received by the Peruvian Air Force (FAP).
Only at that moment did the FAB pilots and technicians learn the nature of their mission: to locate the group of guerrillas and the hostages in the Amazon rainforest.
With the support of FAP, the Brazilian team was informed about the details of the operation and received the coordinates to begin tracking.
Brazilian technology takes action
The Embraer R-99B, a highly advanced aircraft with national technology for the period, became the main asset of the operation.
Equipped with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Hyperspectral Scanner (HSS), Multispectral Scanner (MSS) and Optical and Infrared Sensor (OIS), the FAB plane flew over the forest, capturing VHF radio signals emitted by the guerrillas.
In less than an hour of monitoring, tracking systems identified a transmission in the village of Toccate.
According to military personnel involved in the mission, the signals were coming from a Shining Path camp, where hostages were being held under guard.
Tactical rescue operation
After locating the camp, the FAB immediately passed the coordinates to the Peruvian Air Force ground operations team.
Helicopters and aircraft were quickly dispatched to the scene to surround the camp and pressure the kidnappers into surrender.
According to military sources, the presence of the air forces caused a wave of tension among the guerrillas, who chose to release the hostages gradually.
One by one, the kidnapped people were released, while the guerrillas looked for ways to escape through the dense Amazon forest.
Return and recognition
After the release of the last hostage, the operation was considered a complete success. No shots were fired and the operation ended without injuries.
The Embraer R-99B then returned to the base in Lima, where FAB military personnel held a brief meeting with Peruvian officials to evaluate the mission.
On the morning of June 11, Peruvian Defense Minister Aurelio Loret de Mola visited the base in Lima to thank the Brazilian military for the work they had done.
He took the opportunity to inspect the interior of the R-99B and publicly recognize the importance of Brazilian support in the rescue mission.
Secrecy and recognition
Despite the success, the Brazilian government kept the operation secret, both in Brazil and Peru. In an official statement, the then Brazilian Defense Minister, José Viegas, refused to comment on the details of the mission.
However, a FAB official, on condition of anonymity, stated that the operation exemplified the potential of the Amazon Surveillance System (SIVAM) for regional monitoring and protection beyond national borders.
The events of June 2003 are still largely kept secret, but the episode is remembered as a milestone in the collaboration between Brazil and Peru for the sake of continental security.
The story is also a testament to the technological advancement and operational ability of the Brazilian Armed Forces in carrying out high-risk missions.
And you, what do you think? Have other secret operations already taken place without our knowledge?
