The land along the river is home to several indigenous people groups, including the Kichwa and Huaorani.

A rescue team later recovered four of the bodies and buried them in a mass grave on the river bank.

Someone was walking along the sandbar and noticed a piece of bare metal sticking out of the sand.

It was later discovered to be part of the metal framework of the Piper aircraft flown by Nate Saint.

Today, the Huaorani Christian community often use the Curaray River as a site for baptisms.