A woman in Ecuador was found alive inside a coffin after being mistakenly pronounced dead from a stroke. The incident, which has captivated the world, occurred in the city of Quevedo when those present heard knocking from inside the coffin.

According to reports, the woman, known as Bella Yolanda Montoya Castro, was initially declared deceased by medical personnel. Her body was then prepared for burial and placed in a coffin. However, just hours before the scheduled funeral, a noise was heard coming from the sealed casket, leading to its immediate opening.

Family members present at the scene were astounded to find the woman still alive and breathing inside the coffin. She was swiftly removed and rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention.

“I lifted up the coffin, and her heart was pounding, and her left hand was hitting the coffin… We called 911 to bring her here to the hospital,” the woman’s son, Gilberto Barbera, said in a video posted on social media.

The woman is currently back in the intensive care unit at the same hospital that pronounced her dead, according to the BBC.

The exact circumstances that led to the woman's misdiagnosis and subsequent premature burial remain unclear. Authorities have initiated an investigation to determine the sequence of events and potential medical negligence. It is believed that a mix-up in identifying the woman's vital signs may have led to the tragic mistake.

Ecuador’s Health Ministry said that, in coordination with the Health Services Quality Assurance Agency, a national technical committee was formed “to initiate a medical audit to establish responsibilities for the alleged confirmation of death.”