GARCIA-NAVARRO: And so two members of the team, dressed in only street clothes, miraculously were able to make it over the mountains and find help. Catalan, who rode to the nearest town to alert rescuers, returned to meet the survivors on Saturday in a hat and poncho. The Fairchild turboprop was grounded in the middle of the Cordillera Occidental, a poorly mapped range almost 100 miles wide and home to Aconcagua, at 22,834 feet the . Four-wheel drive vehicles transport travelers from the village of El Sosneado to Puesto Araya, near the abandoned Hotel Termas del Sosneado. [7][10] Later analysis of their flight path found the pilot had not only turned too early, but turned on a heading of 014 degrees, when he should have turned to 030 degrees. The second flight of helicopters arrived the following morning at daybreak. ", Uruguayan rugby team, who were forced to eat human flesh to stay alive after plane went down, play match postponed in 1972, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Former members of the Old Christians rugby team hold a minute's silence after unveiling a plaque in memory of those who died. The remaining passengers resorted to cannibalism. On October 13, 1972, a charter jet carrying the Old Christians Club rugby union team across the Andes mountains crashed, killing 29 of the 45 people on board. It came to be known as The Miracle in The Andes. "Out Of The Silence: After The Crash" is a story of endurance and the spiritual awakening that came after 72 days trapped in the Andes. The 10th, and everything behind him had disappeared into oblivion on the other side of the mountain. On 15 November, after several hours of walking east, the trio found the largely intact tail section of the aircraft containing the galley about 1.6km (1mi) east and downhill of the fuselage. [24][25] With considerable difficulty, on the morning of 31 October, they dug a tunnel from the cockpit to the surface, only to encounter a furious blizzard that left them no choice but to stay inside the fuselage. They felt that the faith and friendship which inspired them in the cordillera do not emerge from these pages. We were absolutely angry. Among those survivors was a young architect named Eduardo Strauch, who held off writing about the tragedy until now. [15] They were also spared the daily manual labor around the crash site that was essential for the group's survival, so they could build their strength. Over the years, survivors have published books, been portrayed in films and television productions, and produced an official website about the event. On 26 December, two pictures taken by members of Cuerpo de Socorro Andino (Andean Relief Corps) of a half-eaten human leg were printed on the front page of two Chilean newspapers, El Mercurio and La Tercera de la Hora,[2] who reported that all survivors resorted to cannibalism. With no choice, the survivors ate the bodies of their dead friends.[15][17]. A half century after their plane crashed into the Andes, the survivors who resorted to cannibalism to stay alive came together this week in Uruguay to remember their grisly ordeal. As some of the people die, the survivors are forced to make a terrible decision between starvation and cannibalism. Of the 45 passengers aboard, 16 survived by feeding on dead family members and friends preserved in the snow. Meanwhile, Parrado and Canessa were brought on horseback to Los Maitenes de Curic, where they were fed and allowed to rest. Canessa used broken glass from the aircraft windshield as a cutting tool. I tried to enjoy my friend, my dog, my passions, a second at a time," said Parrado, who has since worked as a TV host, race car driver and motivational speaker. He refused to give up hope. Instead, it was customary for this type of aircraft to fly a longer 600-kilometre (370mi), 90-minute U-shaped route[2] from Mendoza south to Malarge using the A7 airway (known today as UW44). In 1972, Canessa was a 19-year-old medical student accompanying his rugby team on a trip from Uruguay to attend a match in nearby Chile. We are surrounded with our friends, who died. [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. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. "You and I are friends, Nando. Parrado called them, but the noise of the river made it impossible to communicate. The next day, the man returned. They improvised in other ways. "That was probably the moment when the pilots saw the black ridge rising dead ahead. They also found the aircraft's two-way radio. "I came back to life after having died," said Parrado, whose mother and sister died in the Andes. Tenemos que salir rpido de aqu y no sabemos cmo. Given the pilot's dying statement that they were near Curic, they believed that they were near the western edge of the Andes, and that the closest help lay in that direction. The front portion of the fuselage flew straight through the air before sliding down the steep glacier at 350km/h (220mph) like a high-speed toboggan and descended about 725 metres (2,379ft). He says reintegrating himself back into society was hard. But very fast, very quick, we realized that the only way to get out would be by doing it by ourselves. After the initial shock of their plane crashing into the Andes mountains on that fateful Friday the 13th of October 1972, Harley and 31 other survivors found themselves in the pitch dark in. All 16 survivors of the 1972 Andes plane crash have reunited for the 50th anniversary, according to a report. The Old Christians squared off on Saturday in Santiago against the Old Grangonian, the former Chilean rugby team they were supposed to play back in 1972 when their flight went down. "The only reason why we're here alive today is because we had the goal of returning home (Our loved ones) gave us life. England take on Uruguay in their final Rugby World Cup match this evening. Three crew members and nine passengers died immediately; several more died soon afterward due to the frigid temperatures and the severity of their injuries. [29] They thought they would reach the peak in one day. Although there is a direct route from Mendoza to Santiago 200 kilometres (120mi) to the west, the high mountains require an altitude of 25,000 to 26,000 feet (7,600 to 7,900m), very close to the FH-227D's maximum operational ceiling of 28,000 feet (8,500m). While others encouraged Parrado, none would volunteer to go with him. The first edition was released in 1974. [citation needed], As the men gathered wood to build a fire, one of them saw three men on horseback at the other side of the river. This story has been shared 139,641 times. [17][26], Gradually, there appeared more and more signs of human presence; first some evidence of camping, and finally on the ninth day, some cows. As Parrado showed us at his London presentation, a team of leading US mountaineers recreated the pair's climb out of the mountains, fully kitted out and fed, in 2006. And we have no warm clothes (ph), no water. Valeta survived his fall, but stumbled down the snow-covered glacier, fell into deep snow, and was asphyxiated. [38] The news of their survival and the actions required to live drew world-wide attention and grew into a media circus. [49] Sergio Cataln died on 11 February 2020[50] at the age of 91. As he began to descend, the aircraft struck a mountain, shearing off both wings and the tail section. The Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 was the chartered flight of a Fairchild FH-227D from Montevideo, Uruguay to Santiago, Chile, that crashed in the Andes mountains on October 13, 1972. [21], After the sleeping bag was completed and Numa Turcatti died, Canessa was still hesitant. And nearly four and a half decades on, 16 of their number have lived to see Uruguay carry the spirit of the Andes survivors onto the world rugby stage. "With that, our suffering ended," Canessa said. [2] Twelve men and a Chilean priest were transported to the crash site on 18 January 1973. "Since then I have enjoyed fully, carefully but without fear. We have a very small space. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Of course, the aspect of the story that has gained the most notoriety was the decision you all made that in order to survive, you would have to start eating your dead friends. On the second night of the expedition, which was their first night sleeping outside, they nearly froze to death. [2] Club president Daniel Juan chartered a Uruguayan Air Force twin turboprop Fairchild FH-227D to fly the team over the Andes to Santiago. Unable to obtain official permission to retrieve his son's body, Ricardo Echavarren mounted an expedition on his own with hired guides. On that morning conditions over the Andes had not improved but changes were expected by the early afternoon. They had no technical gear, no map or compass, and no climbing experience. [15] They saw three aircraft fly overhead, but were unable to attract their attention, and none of the aircraft crews spotted the white fuselage against the snow. We're not going to do nothing wrong. The passengers decided that a few members would seek help. But they did. They called on the Andes Rescue Group of Chile (CSA). All hope seemed lost when they located the broken off tail of the plane, found batteries to get the radio to work, only to hear via a crackly message over the airwaves on their 10th day on the mountain that the search had been called off. The unnamed glacier (later named Glaciar de las Lgrimas or Glacier of Tears) is between Mount Sosneado and 4,280 metres (14,040ft) high Volcn Tinguiririca, straddling the remote mountainous border between Chile and Argentina. [15][16], At least four died from the impact of the fuselage hitting the snow bank, which ripped the remaining seats from their anchors and hurled them to the front of the plane: team physician Dr. Francisco Nicola and his wife Esther Nicola; Eugenia Parrado and Fernando Vazquez (medical student). "Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, also known as the Andes flight disaster, and in South America as Miracle in the Andes (El Milagro de los Andes) was a chartered flight carrying 45 people, including a rugby team, their friends, family and associates that crashed in the Andes on 13 October 1972. Instead of climbing the ridge to the west which was somewhat lower than the peak, they climbed straight up the steep mountain. Members of the amateur Old Christians Club rugby union team from Montevideo, Uruguay, were scheduled to play a match against the Old Boys Club, an English rugby team in Santiago, Chile. [33] A flood of international reporters began walking several kilometers along the route from Puente Negro to Termas del Flaco. The death of Perez, the team captain and leader of the survivors, along with the loss of Liliana Methol, who had nursed the survivors "like a mother and a saint", were extremely discouraging to those remaining alive.[16][22]. The aircraft was 80km (50mi) east of its planned route. Estamos dbiles. [26], On the third morning of the trek, Canessa stayed at their camp. Had we turned into brute savages? It was hard to put in your mouth, recalled Sabella, a successful businessman. We have been walking for 10 days. And at last, I was convinced that it was the only way to live. On the return trip, they were struck by a blizzard. In October 1972, a plane carrying a Uruguayan rugby team crashed in the Andes. We are weak. STRAUCH: Yeah. The plane, traveling from Uruguay to Chile, went down over the Andes moun-tains after on October 13, 1972. He was in the ninth row of seats. [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. The accident and subsequent survival became known as the Andes flight disaster ( Tragedia de los Andes) and the Miracle of the Andes ( Milagro de los Andes ). By anyone, in fact, whose business it is to prepare men for adversity. The pilots were astounded at the difficult terrain the two men had crossed to reach help. [16] The remaining 27 faced severe difficulties surviving the nights when temperatures dropped to 30C (22F). Man Utd revive interest in Barcelona star De Jong, Alonso pips Verstappen with Hamilton fourth ahead of thrilling pole fight, Experience live F1 races onboard with any driver in 2023, Papers: Chelsea divided on future of head coach Potter, PL Predictions: Maddison to spark Leicester into life, How Casemiro silenced doubters to become Man Utd cult hero, What is Chelsea's best XI? A Uruguayan rugby team crashes in the Andes Mountains and has to survive the extremely cold temperatures and rough climate. [19] A Catholic priest heard the survivors' confessions and told them that they were not damned for cannibalism (eating human flesh), given the in extremis nature of their survival situation. Condemned to die without any hope we transported the rugby feeling to the cold fuselage at 12,000ft.". To prevent snow blindness, he improvised sunglasses using the sun visors in the pilot's cabin, wire, and a bra strap. La sociedad de la nieve, 2nd ed. [27][28] seeking help. When he had boarded the ill-fated Uruguay Air Force plane for Chile, Harley weighed 84 kilograms. STRAUCH: Absolutely devastating - so we felt abandoned, and we felt so angry with everybody, with - even with our families, with the world, with God, with nature, with everything. Then, he followed the river to its junction with Ro Tinguiririca, where after crossing a bridge, he was able to reach the narrow route that linked the village of Puente Negro to the holiday resort of Termas del Flaco. [2] He asked one of the passengers to find his pistol and shoot him, but the passenger declined. 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. [31], Sergio Cataln, a Chilean arriero (muleteer), read the note and gave them a sign that he understood. They hoped to get to Chile to the west, but a large mountain lay west of the crash site, persuading them to try heading east first. During the following 72 days, the survivors suffered extreme hardships, including exposure, starvation, and an avalanche, which led to the deaths of thirteen more passengers. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Eduardo, the group of survivors quickly formed a community, sharing tasks, rotating sleeping positions so everyone would get a chance at a more comfortable spot in the wrecked plane. The aircraft carried 40 passengers and five crew members. In 1972, a plane carrying young men from a Uruguayan rugby team, crashed high in the Andes. Due to the altitude and weight limits, the two helicopters were able to take only half of the survivors. [3], Michel Roger concurs, stating that: "Read has risen above the sensational and managed a book of real and lasting value."[4]. His presentation of the story at London's Barbican last week was deeply affecting: a 90-minute monologue about staring death in the face, surviving against all odds and spending the next four decades re-evaluating the true meaning of life and love. It doesn't taste anything. He requested permission from air traffic control to descend. They became sicker from eating these. Eduardo Strauch survived the 1972 Andes plane crash of the Uruguayan rugby team. Rescue they felt would come. We knew the answer, but it was too terrible to contemplate. Seventeen. The remaining survivors of an Uruguayan rugby team were rescued when their plane crashed into the Andes after months of waiting. Gustavo [Coco] Nicolich came out of the aircraft and, seeing their faces, knew what they had heard [Nicolich] climbed through the hole in the wall of suitcases and rugby shirts, crouched at the mouth of the dim tunnel, and looked at the mournful faces which were turned towards him. A few seconds later, Daniel Shaw and Carlos Valeta fell out of the rear fuselage. Dnde estamos?English: I come from a plane that fell in the mountains. NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks with him about his story of hope in his book, Out of the Silence: After. During part of the climb, they sank up to their hips in the snow, which had been softened by the summer sun. "I would ask myself: is it worth doing this? Even to us, they were very small pieces of frozen meat. The Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 was the chartered flight of a Fairchild FH-227D from Montevideo, Uruguay to Santiago, Chile, that crashed in the Andes mountains on October 13, 1972. But it was impossible to get the proteins from there, so we start a mental process to convince our minds that was the only way. His mother died instantly, followed by his sister, cradled in his arms a week later. With Hugo Stiglitz, Norma Lazareno, Luz Mara Aguilar, Fernando Larraaga. Numa Turcatti and Antonio Vizintin were chosen to accompany Canessa and Parrado; however, Turcatti's leg was stepped on and the bruise had become septic, so he was unable to join the expedition. The pilot was able to bring the aircraft nose over the ridge, but at 3:34p.m., the lower part of the tail-cone may have clipped the ridge at 4,200 metres (13,800ft). [7][3] The aircraft, FAU 571, was four years old and had 792 airframe hours. [17] Since the plane crash, Canessa had lost almost half of his body weight, about 44 kilograms (97lb). [3] Two more passengers fell out of the open rear of the fuselage. [3][2], The aircraft continued forward and upward another 200 meters (660ft) for a few more seconds when the left wing struck an outcropping at 4,400 meters (14,400ft), tearing off the wing. They flew in heavy cloud cover under instrument conditions to Los Maitenes de Curic where the army interviewed Parrado and Canessa. Numa Turcatti, whose extreme revulsion for eating the meat dramatically accelerated his physical decline, died on day 60 (11 December) weighing only 25 kg (55 pounds). Among those who Parrado helped rescue was Gustavo Zerbino, 72 days trapped on the mountain, and who 43 years later is now watching his nephew Jorge turn out for Uruguay at this World Cup. The story was told in 1993 film Alive. Inside and nearby, they found luggage containing a box of chocolates, three meat patties, a bottle of rum, cigarettes, extra clothes, comic books, and a little medicine. 1972. The return was entirely downhill, and using an aircraft seat as a makeshift sleigh, he returned to the crash site in one hour. I was very young. Canessa agreed to go west. And important.