3 U.S. hostages thank Colombian government

SAN ANTONIO , July 5 (UPI) -- Three U.S. contractors released this week after five years as hostages of left-wing guerrillas in Colombia said Friday they are "overwhelmed with emotion."

Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell were at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, where they released a statement thanking the Colombian government and military, CNN reported.

"Words alone can never possibly express the thrill and excitement we feel to be back home in the United States of America with our families at our side," they said.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, captured the three, who were working for Northrop Grumman, in 2003 after their plane crashed. FARC members killed another contractor, Norman Janis.

On Wednesday, 15 hostages, including Ingrid Betancourt, a former candidate for president of Colombia, were freed. The Colombian government says intelligence agents posed as members of the group.