website page counter Photographer who captured the tragic portrait of a young girl moments before her death spoke out 35 years after taking the picture - DTOP

Photographer who captured the tragic portrait of a young girl moments before her death spoke out 35 years after taking the picture

A photographer who captured a famous portrait of a young girl before her tragic death has opened up about the experience.

In 1985, the eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Colombia claimed the lives of over 20,000 people, with one haunting image from the tragedy seared into global memory.

Frank Fournier, a French photographer, became renowned for capturing the heartbreaking final moments of 13-year-old Omayra Sánchez Garzón, who was trapped in debris for 60 hours before her death.

The catastrophic eruption triggered a deadly lahar – a lethal mix of volcanic lava, ice, and mud – that surged into the river valleys, engulfing villages like Armero, per the Sun.

Among the victims was Omayra, who became a symbol of the disaster’s devastation. Rescue workers tried repeatedly to free Omayra, but her legs were pinned beneath a brick door, with the body of her deceased aunt entangled around her legs. Each attempt to pull her free caused more water to rise around her, risking drowning.

To keep her afloat, rescuers placed a tire around her body and provided her with sweet food and soda in her final hours.

Before succumbing to her injuries on November 16, Omayra gave a tearful message on camera: “Mommy, I love you so much, Daddy I love you, brother I love you.” It is believed her death was caused by either gangrene or hypothermia.

Fournier’s photograph of Omayra, her eyes bloodshot, hands whitened, and face swollen, became a haunting symbol of the disaster. The powerful image sparked global outcry and raised difficult ethical questions about the role of journalists during tragedies.

In a heartbreaking recollection, Fournier shared that Omayra began to hallucinate during her final hours, asking him to take her to school because she feared she would be late.

The photographer opened up about the heartwrenching picture in a 2005 interview with the BBC, revealing that people asked him why he didn’t help the teen or get her out. At the time, the now-75-year-old responded that it was “impossible” to rescue her, explaining: “There was an outcry – debates on television on the nature of the photojournalist, how much he or she is a vulture.

“But I felt the story was important for me to report and I was happier that there was some reaction; it would have been worse if people had not cared about it,” he continued. “I am very clear about what I do and how I do it, and I try to do my job with as much honesty and integrity as possible.”

Fournier believes the picture helped raise money “from around the world in aid” as well as “helped highlight the irresponsibility and lack of courage of the country’s leaders”.

“There was an obvious lack of leadership. There were no evacuation plans, yet scientists had foreseen the catastrophic extent of the volcano’s eruption,” he explained. “People still find the picture disturbing.”

He said the picture highlights “the lasting power of this little girl,” adding: “I was lucky that I could act as a bridge to link people with her. It’s the magic of the thing.”

Scroll to Top