During the funeral of Bella Montoya, a 76-year-old Ecuadorian woman, mourners were taken aback when they discovered that she was still alive. Previously thought to have passed away due to a suspected stroke, Ms. Montoya was declared dead last week.

However, five hours into her wake on Friday, while her relatives were preparing to change her clothes before the burial, they were astonished to find her gasping for air. Following this extraordinary discovery, Ms. Montoya was urgently transported back to the hospital and admitted to the intensive care unit.

The incident has prompted Ecuador's health ministry to establish a committee to investigate the matter. The ministry has issued a statement explaining that the woman experienced cardiorespiratory arrest, a cessation of breathing and heart function, and did not respond to resuscitation attempts. The attending doctor confirmed her death at the time.

According to Ms. Montoya's son, Gilber Rodolfo Balberán Montoya, who spoke to local media, his mother had been admitted to the hospital and a doctor had informed him of her passing. However, during the wake, she was observed trying to breathe while lying in an open casket, as captured in a video that circulated on social media.

Paramedics were called to the scene, and they assessed Ms. Montoya before moving her onto a stretcher and transporting her to the hospital. Currently, she remains in intensive care at the same hospital where she was initially declared deceased.

Mr. Balberán expressed his shock at the situation, stating, "Little by little I am grasping what has happened. Now I only pray for my mother's health to improve. I want her alive and by my side." The circumstances surrounding this remarkable turn of events have left both the family and authorities seeking answers.