Rescued meet with families in US

Mark Gonsalves (left), Thomas Howes (right), and Keith Stansell (not shown) were held captive five years. (US AIR FORCE VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS)

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - Three US hostages rescued from leftist guerrillas in Colombia after more than five years in captivity are in good condition and reuniting with family members, military officials said yesterday.

The three US military contractors - Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes, and Keith Stansell - had been held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia since their drug-surveillance plane went down in the jungle in February 2003.

"I will tell you that they greeted me with a strong handshake and clear eyes and an incredible smile," said Major General Keith Huber, commander of US Army South, which is responsible for operations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The three were rescued Wednesday when Colombian spies tricked leftist rebels into handing them over, along with kidnapped presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and 11 Colombian police and soldiers.

The men, employees of a Northrop Grumman Corp. subsidiary, arrived in the United States late Wednesday. They were then taken to Brooke Army Medical Center at San Antonio's Fort Sam Houston to undergo tests.

The men's families were arriving in San Antonio yesterday, said Katie Lamb, a Northrop Grumman spokeswoman.

Huber said Stansell has already seen his son, Kyle, and his daughter, Lauren, as well as his father and stepmother.

"So on the tail end of their first private reunion in five years and five months, I can tell you that it made us all very proud that there were children there who were thrilled to see their parent and there were parents there who were overwhelmed with seeing their son back safe," Huber said.

Huber said Howes - whose birthday is today - and Gonsalves were also to reunite with their families yesterday.

The men are undergoing what Huber said is a reintegration process and are in the second phase, which typically lasts from two to four days, he said.

"The purpose is to provide a transition back to normal life after the strains of captivity," Huber said.

Huber said the men's participation is voluntary because they are not members of the military.

Colonel Jackie Hayes said that "at this point in time" the men aren't believed to have any infectious or communicable diseases. "I'm happy to report that they are all in very good physical condition, very strong," Hayes said.

US Ambassador William Brownfield had said Wednesday that two of the three men were suffering from the jungle malady leishmaniasis and "looking forward to modern medical treatment."