Inside the crowded aircraft there was silence. What if we could clean them out? It wasnt the smartest, most intelligent ones. Unknown to any of the team members, the aircraft's electrical system used 115 volts AC, while the battery they had located produced 24 volts DC,[4] making the plan futile from the beginning. 2022-10-13 21:00:26 - Paris/France. Much better than going to psychiatrists. Fell from aircraft, missing: The survivors' courage under extremely adverse conditions has been described as "a beacon of hope to [their] generation, showing what can be accomplished with persistence and determination in the presence of unsurpassable odds, and set our minds to attain a common aim". Chile Today sat down with Gustavo Zerbino, one of the few survivors of the famous Andean plane crash, today 50 years ago. Parrado was sure this was their way out of the mountains. We brought them letters containing the last thoughts of our friends, and I wanted to make clear that the support of our friends that died was very important for us. This was the stark choice facing a rugby team from Uruguay, and some of their friends and family, when the plane carrying them to a match in Chile crashed on October 13, 1972, in what was fittingly known asThe Valley of Tears. It was like going to a five star hotel. [22][23], Seventeen days after the crash, near midnight on 29 October, an avalanche struck the aircraft containing the survivors as they slept. I didnt expect them to understand or judge me because in a way they had given up the search and considered us dead. [33] A flood of international reporters began walking several kilometers along the route from Puente Negro to Termas del Flaco. [Laughs] You get very smart when you are dying. All 16 survivors of the 1972 Andes plane crash have reunited for the 50th anniversary, according to a report. He requested permission from air traffic control to descend. 'Hey boys,' he shouted, 'there's some good news! Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 was a chartered flight carrying 45 people, including a rugby union team, their friends, family and associates. [38] The news of their survival and the actions required to live drew world-wide attention and grew into a media circus. Lagurara radioed the Malarge airport with their position and told them they would reach 2,515 metres (8,251ft) high Planchn Pass at 3:21p.m. Planchn Pass is the air traffic control hand-off point from one side of the Andes to the other, with controllers in Mendoza transferring flight tracking duties over to Pudahuel air traffic control in Santiago, Chile. During the first night, five more people died: co-pilot Lagurara, Francisco Abal, Graziela Mariani, Felipe Maquirriain, and Julio Martinez-Lamas. The group decided to camp that night inside the tail section. On the afternoon of October 13, 1972, Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 begins its descent toward Santiago, Chile, too early and crashes high in the Andes Mountains. On the second day, 11 aircraft from Argentina, Chile and Uruguay searched for the downed flight. Before long, we would become too weak to recover from starvation. Officers of the Chilean SARS listened to the radio transmissions and concluded the aircraft had come down in one of the most remote and inaccessible areas of the Andes. As they flew through the Andes, clouds obscured the mountains. CANELONES, URUGUAY - The first night was the worst, Roy Harley recalls of the ten weeks he and other survivors of a plane crash 50 years ago managed to cling to . "We survived because we were a team and because we managed to walk out of the mountains," saysCanessa. [4], Thirty-three remained alive, although many were seriously or critically injured, with wounds including broken legs which had resulted from the aircraft's seats collapsing forward against the luggage partition and the pilot's cabin. She had strong religious convictions, and only reluctantly agreed to partake of the flesh after she was told to view it as "like Holy Communion". When he had boarded the ill-fated Uruguay Air Force plane for Chile, Harley weighed 84 kilograms. There were two moments that were turning points for me. When are you going to come to fetch us? Piers Paul Read's book Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors described the moments after this discovery: The others who had clustered around Roy, upon hearing the news, began to sob and pray, all except [Nando] Parrado, who looked calmly up at the mountains which rose to the west. But now I can be the shepherd who can make this child survive. The herdsmen indicated that they would return the following day. [5][14], The plane fuselage came to rest on a glacier at 344554S 701711W / 34.76500S 70.28639W / -34.76500; -70.28639 at an elevation of 3,570 metres (11,710ft) in the Malarge Department, Mendoza Province. Marcelo Perez, captain of the rugby team, assumed leadership.[15][17]. 'Because it means,' [Nicolich] said, 'that we're going to get out of here on our own.' Four members of the search and rescue team volunteered to stay with the seven survivors remaining on the mountain. -Intially, the passengers survived by improvising saftey equipment, and rationing their food. Although Santiago lay to the west of Mendoza, the Fairchild was not built to fly higher than approximately 22,500 feet (6,900 metres), so the pilots plotted a course south to the Pass of Planchn, where the aircraft could safely clear the Andes. With no other choice, on the third day they began to eat the raw flesh of their newly dead friends. When they rested that evening they were very tired, and Canessa seemed unable to proceed further. They trekked for over ten days, traveling 61 km (38 miles). [2] Close to the grave, they built a simple stone altar and staked an orange iron cross on it. Others justified it according to a Bible verse found in John 15:13: 'No man hath greater love than this: that he lay down his life for his friends. [13], The official investigation concluded that the crash was caused by controlled flight into terrain due to pilot error. -After the search was called off, a group of 4 of the men started a trek to find help themselves. They were treated for a variety of conditions, including altitude sickness, dehydration, frostbite, broken bones, scurvy, and malnutrition. [17], The Chilean Air Search and Rescue Service (SARS) was notified within the hour that the flight was missing. The inexperienced co-pilot, Lieutenant-Colonel Dante Hctor Lagurara, was at the controls when the accident occurred. We put all the suitcases at the back of the fuselage to keep out the weather. Why arent you dead?, Today, as one of Uruguay's leadingpaediatriccardiologists,Canesssa, shown here at medical school three years after the crash,says hecanbe"the shepherd who can make thischild survive.". The survivors lacked medical supplies, cold-weather clothing and equipment or food, and only had three pairs of sunglasses among them to help prevent snow blindness. During part of the climb, they sank up to their hips in the snow, which had been softened by the summer sun. Por favor, no podemos ni caminar. Nando Parrado recalled hitting a downdraft, causing the plane to drop several hundred feet and out of the clouds. [43], In 1973, mothers of 11 young people who died in the plane crash founded the Our Children Library in Uruguay to promote reading and teaching. The aircraft was 80km (50mi) east of its planned route. On December 12, with just 16 people still alive, three expeditionaries set out for help, though one later returned to the wreckage. [15], They continued east the next morning. With no choice, the survivors ate the bodies of their dead friends.[15][17]. He was accompanied by co-pilot Lieutenant-Colonel Dante Hctor Lagurara. All rights reserved. Who survived? [40] The father of one victim had received word from a survivor that his son wished to be buried at home. Early the next morning, the Chileans reappeared, and the two groups communicated by writing notes on paper that they then wrapped around a rock and threw across the water. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 13 bodies were untouched, while another 15 were mostly skeletal. The remaining portion of the fuselage slid down a glacier at an estimated 350km/h (220mph) and descended about 725 metres (2,379ft) before crashing into ice and snow. The harsh conditions gave searchers little hope that they would find anyone alive. Please be respectful of copyright. Flight 571 Plane Crash Survivors Made Gruesome Cannibal Pact News Au Australia S Leading Site. It was a very abrupt moment. Survivors were forced to eat the bodies of their dead friends, a. The pilot waited and took off at 2:18p.m. on Friday 13 October from Mendoza. The Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crashed while carrying an amatuar rugby team. They also realized that unless they found a way to survive the freezing temperature of the nights, a trek was impossible. Your mouth doesnt want to open because you feel so miserable and sad about what you have to do. They had hiked about 38km (24mi) over 10 days. ', In the end, all of those who had survived as of the decision to eat the bodies did so, though not all without reservations. [42], The story of the crash is described in the Andes Museum 1972, dedicated in 2013 in Ciudad Vieja, Montevideo. We just heard on the radio. [26], Parrado and Canessa took three hours to climb to the summit. [21], After the sleeping bag was completed and Numa Turcatti died, Canessa was still hesitant. [3], As the aircraft descended, severe turbulence tossed the aircraft up and down. We had to eat these dead bodies, and that was it. Updates? As the weather improved with the arrival of late spring, two survivors, Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa, climbed a 4,650-metre (15,260ft) mountain peak without gear and hiked for 10 days into Chile to seek help, traveling 61 km (38 miles). Parrado was determined to hike out or die trying. Those left knew that they would die if they did not find help. The arrieros could not imagine that anyone could still be alive. The pilot, however, had misjudged the location of the aircraft, which was still in the Andes. [47], In March 2006, the families of those aboard the flight had a black obelisk monument built at the crash site memorializing those who lived and died.[48]. I nearly gave up when the avalanche struck us. On the third day, they reach Las Lgrimas glacier, where the remains of the accident are found. Unaware of the mistake, controllers cleared him to begin descending in preparation for landing. What is wind chill, and how does it affect your body? aviation and survival incident, Argentina [1972]. I know how you feel. But then I thought, if I were killed I would feel proud that my body could be used for others to survive. To get there, the plane would have to fly over the snow-capped peaks of the Andes Mountains. Several survivors were determined to join the expedition team, including Roberto Canessa, one of the two medical students, but others were less willing or unsure of their ability to withstand such a physically exhausting ordeal. Four-wheel drive vehicles transport travelers from the village of El Sosneado to Puesto Araya, near the abandoned Hotel Termas del Sosneado. The survivors found a small transistor radio jammed between seats on the aircraft, and Roy Harley improvised a very long antenna using electrical cable from the plane. We try and get together everyDecember 22,the day of the rescue; and every year, there is a rugby match in Chile in honor of the one that was cancelled. Without His consent, I felt I would be violating the memory of my friends; that I would be stealing their souls. When the tail-cone was detached, it took with it the rear portion of the fuselage, including two rows of seats in the rear section of the passenger cabin, the galley, baggage hold, vertical stabilizer, and horizontal stabilizers, leaving a gaping hole in the rear of the fuselage. In the resulting media frenzy, the survivors revealed that they had been forced to commit cannibalism. It filled the fuselage and killed eight people: Enrique Platero, Liliana Methol, Gustavo Nicolich, Daniel Maspons, Juan Menendez, Diego Storm, Carlos Roque, and Marcelo Perez. We needed a way to survive the long nights without freezing, and the quilted batts of insulation we'd taken from the tail section gave us our solution as we brainstormed about the trip, we realized we could sew the patches together to create a large warm quilt. The steep terrain only permitted the pilot to touch down with a single skid. They had climbed a mountain on the border of Argentina and Chile, meaning the trekkers were still tens of kilometres from the green valleys of Chile. You can wait for the helicopter, but dont wait too long. The ordeal was the basis for a number of books and films, including the best seller Alive (1974) by Piers Paul Read, which was adapted for the big screen in 1993. New AI may pass the famed Turing test. [36], The survivors held a press conference on 28 December at Stella Maris College in Montevideo, where they recounted the events of the past 72 days. Here, he was able to stop a truck and reach the police station at Puente Negro. [4], The Chilean Air Force provided three Bell UH-1 helicopters to assist with the rescue. In life there is a moment to wait and see what happens, but there is also a moment to get active. From there, travelers ride on horseback, though some choose to walk. The remaining survivors of an Uruguayan rugby team were rescued when their plane crashed into the Andes after months of waiting. Personally, I believe this was a kind of experiment by a malicious hand that decided to throw onto the mountain a group of young rugby players. No tenemos comida. Nando Parrado had a skull fracture and remained in a coma for three days. Meanwhile, Parrado and Canessa were brought on horseback to Los Maitenes de Curic, where they were fed and allowed to rest. I feel that I shared a piece of my friends not only materially but spiritually because their will to live was transmitted to us through their flesh. We have to get out from here quickly and we don't know how. Everyone had a role, and because I was a medical student, I was in charge of the injured persons. Their story would amazeand disturbthe world and become the basis for a best-selling sellingbookand the movie,Alive. He gained the summit of the 4,650 metres (15,260ft) high peak before Vizintn. Of the 45 people on the flight, only 16 survived in sub-zero temperatures. He scribbled a note, attached it and a pencil to a rock with some string, and threw the message across the river. The passengers removed the broken seats and other debris from the aircraft and fashioned a crude shelter. During this time, several survivors, the expeditionaries, had been surveying the area for an escape route. News & Politics; . Valeta survived his fall, but stumbled down the snow-covered glacier, fell into deep snow, and was asphyxiated. We melted snow to get water. Dnde estamos?English: I come from a plane that fell in the mountains. I encouraged everyone to write his own book because they are 16 different stories of survival. They built a fire and stayed up late reading comic books. One helicopter remained behind in reserve. He compared their actions to that of Jesus Christ at the Last Supper, during which he gave his disciples the Eucharist. Cannibalism is when you kill someone, so technically this is what is known asanthropophagy. One of the propellers sliced through the fuselage as the wing it was attached to was severed. Four planes searched that afternoon until dark. The team had an inter-college match fixture in Santiago, Chile. Omissions? [35] On 23 December, news reports of cannibalism were published worldwide, except in Uruguay. Consequently, the survivors had to sustain life with rations found in the wreckage after the plane had crashed. A few seconds later, Daniel Shaw and Carlos Valeta fell out of the rear fuselage. There were 45 people on board the plane which included Montevideo's Old Christians Club's rugby team and its supporters on October 13, 1972. [17] The survivors heard on the transistor radio that the Uruguayan Air Force had resumed searching for them. As the hopelessness of their predicament enveloped them, they wept. The news of their miraculous survival drew world-wide headlines that grew into a media circus. Editorial ALreves, S.L., Bercelona, Spain, Read, Piers Paul. Dont be seduced by your own ego and think youre better than other people, because thats the beginning of being unsuccessful. 'Alive': Uruguay plane crash survivors savour life 50 years on On October 13, 1972, a plane carrying an amateur Uruguayan rugby team, along with relatives and supporters, to an away match in Chile crashed in the Andes with 45 people on board. Eco-friendly burial alternatives, explained. Those. With Hugo Stiglitz, Norma Lazareno, Luz Mara Aguilar, Fernando Larraaga. Bats and agaves make tequila possibleand theyre both at risk, The new year once started in Marchhere's why, Jimmy Carter on the greatest challenges of the 21st century, This ancient Greek warship ruled the Mediterranean, 3 ways Jimmy Carter changed the world for the better, The meaning of the cross of ashes on Ash Wednesday, This disease often goes under-diagnosedunless youre white, The groundbreaking promise of cellular housekeeping. This decision was not taken lightly, as most of the dead were classmates, close friends, or relatives. 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