Miracle in the Andes. Surviving 72 days after tragic 1972 Uruguayan flight crash

The unfortunate Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 was originally scheduled to land in Santiago de Chile. In total, 45 people were on board - the flight crew, rugby players from the Old Christians Club, and their families and friends. Only a small number survived the crash and subsequently faced more than two months under brutal living conditions.

The causes of the disaster are somewhat elusive. What is known is that the Uruguayan Air Force plane, a Fairchild FH-227, crashed due to pilot error which caused the aircraft to collide with the mountain, breaking it into two. Notably, the pilot, Captain Julio Cesar Ferradas, a veteran with 5117 flight hours and 29 flights over the Andes, gave no earlier warning of the potential catastrophe.

The ill-fated plane crashed between Cerro Sosneado and the Tinguiririca volcano, close to the border of Chile and Argentina. The violent impact divided the aircraft into two. The right wing was initially detached, followed by the left wing on a subsequent collision. The wingless fuselage descended violently to the ground. The wreckage slid down the slope into Argentine territory, several hundred yards from the Chilean border. The impact severely displaced the plane's seats, and passengers were either ejected or critically injured from the resulting debris and luggage.

The circumstances of the survivors were grave. They found themselves in an inaccessible location, harshly low temperatures, and amid a deluge of snow. They had only enough food for a few hours' flight, consisting of sweets, dried fruits, and alcohol, none of which were sufficient in such extreme conditions. The survivors attempted to utilize the wreckage for shelter from the snow and repurposed seats into blankets. They also fabricated footwear and sunglasses, used suitcases as wind barriers, and wrote S.O.S. with lipstick and nail polish on the fuselage.

At first, the survivors lived on hope that they would soon be rescued. However, after eight days, the rescue was postponed and optimism dwindled. It became clear that survival was dependent solely on their efforts. They obtained drinking water from snow. But, food supply became a critical issue, and hunger and the desperate conditions, led them to consume human flesh.

The act of consuming the flesh of their friends and relatives was initially deemed unthinkable by many. Some first opted to eat only the leather seat upholstery before eventually surrendering to their severe hunger and the fear of imminent death. The human meat was either boiled or sun-dried before consumption.

They were eventually rescued on December 22, 1972, thanks to the heroic efforts of Robert Canesse and Fernando Parrado. The duo braved a ten-day journey through the mountains to find help. After days of wandering, they encountered a farmer who alerted search and rescue. The survivors were severely malnourished and dehydrated and exhibited symptoms of altitude sickness, frostbite, scurvy, and even broken fingers. After many weeks in the hospital, they were finally able to leave. This remarkable story of survival was later aptly named the "Miracle in the Andes" by the press.