Woman escapes jungle nightmare
Brazilian hiker Denise Ciunek, 38, celebrated two major feats this week: first she managed to escape being raped by jumping into a remote river, and then she was rescued after going missing in the jungle for 17 days.
Ciunek's epic shocked the Brazilian state of Para.
On Sunday, a 30-strong Fire Department rescue team managed to find the woman, after an 11-day search, around 3 km from a dam in the town of Caminho do Itupava, in the Serra do Mar mountain range.
"The firemen were angels from the sky who came to rescue me," the woman said.
Ciunek's experience as a hiker saved her life.
She had gone missing on August 19, when she hiked alone on the Caminho do Itupava, a 17th century trail.
She told reporters that she was attacked on the trail by an armed man who threatened to rape her.
"He threatened me and he took me with him away from the trail, so that I would get lost.
"Then, he stood at a place in the middle of the jungle and he started to undress.
"He put the gun on the ground, and I took advantage of that to escape, and I jumped into a river," she said.
She tried unsuccessfully to return to the trail.
Ciuek then awaited the rescue in a valley between two waterfalls.
Rescue teams found her "very weak" but conscious.
Brazilian authorities conceded that robberies and other attacks are frequent in the area where Ciuek got lost, and they insisted that for safety's sake, people should hike in groups of at least four people.
1malesia
You are a very brave woman, good for you. I hope that animal gets lots in that jungle!Report Abuse
Mantsu
From now on she must not going hiking by herself, she wants some alone she must go to a re-treatReport Abuse
Mantsu
boy am I glad that this happened in her home country that it was a foreigner who was visiting SA and had this experience - sounds harsh but hey we have had enoughbad things happen to foreigners visiting SAReport Abuse
IceQueen
wow brave girl, i think if i would see a gun i would just go numb all over.Report Abuse
Blackbutterfly
but what was she doing in the jungle alone? some people think this is surviver micronisia...nxa"i am surviver, i am gonna make it, i am not gonna stop" only beyonce sings that!!!
Report Abuse
