All the people who are alive, they give permission to each other that after their de*th, anyone can eat their dead body. The co-pilot says that there is a gun in the bag on the side. Take it out and shoot me.
All the girls in the plane, they collect their lipstick and nail paints and start writing SOS on the roof of the plane. Some people started eating the leather cover of the seat. Those who were hesitant to eat the dead body of their friend or family member, they also get ready and start eating.
It was night, snow was falling all around, the temperature was zero degrees. The people who weighed 80 kg saw their weight drop to 30-40 kg The story of the Andes is quite unique and interesting, which I will tell you in this video. But before that, you might remember that I told you about Odoo Odoo has helped lakhs of people, to make their small or big businesses successful through their technology and innovation.
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So, let's come back to the topic. This is Uruguay and this is Chile from west of India. Now in Uruguay, there was a rugby team of an old Christian club.
The team was well-known and had a lot of renown there. In fact, in the year 1968 and 1970, this team won the national championship too. So every year they used to go to Chile's city of San Diego in the month of October.
And there, Chile's national rugby team and another team named Old Boys used to play friendly matches. When they went to play a match, they would also bring their friends and family along. They would play the match and also enjoy a vacation.
So just like every year, this rugby team had to go to Chile in the month of October in the year 1972 to play the match. According to the plan, they were scheduled to go to Uruguay's Carrasco International Airport. They had to catch the Fairchild FH227D plane and leave for Chile at 8 in the morning.
Now, this plane was not a regular international flight; it was a military plane from Uruguay. At that time, they were facing a financial crisis with their military. So the military would use their free time to transport civilians from one place to another for a fee.
They charged $1600 for this service. Anyone who paid $1600 could hire the plane and travel between locations. Now this plane had to reach Chile from Uruguay's east location.
And it was in the middle of the mountains of Andes where all these things happened. The plane had a total of 45 passengers, including 19 rugby team members and 21 friends and family. And there were 5 crew members in it.
And the pilot who was flying this plane was called Ferradas and he was a very experienced pilot. He had a total of 5,117 hours of flight experience. And while going from Uruguay to Chile, he used to fly it over the Planchon Pass in the mountains of Andes.
So this area of the Planchon Pass was very complicated for the pilot. Because the weather used to change very quickly in this area. The mountains used to have a lot of height.
Some of the mountains in this area were over 22,800 feet high. And this plane had a maximum altitude limit of 22,500 feet. Navigating through this area was very challenging.
However, Pilot Ferradas was an expert at flying in this region. He had flown this plane 29 times before and was very familiar with the area. Ferradas also had a co-pilot named Lagurara, who was a trainee.
The main pilot, Ferradas, was training his co-pilot Lagurara to fly in this area. Therefore, Ferradas had given full control of the plane to Lagurara. This was to give him experience flying in this region.
They left Uruguay Airport in the morning. But the weather deteriorated significantly after covering a short distance. When the weather worsened, they landed in Mendoza, Argentina, and waited for it to improve.
Mendoza is located just ahead of Chile, as shown here. While waiting for the weather to improve after landing, they had to spend the entire night in Mendoza. During their stay, they went out and bought wine for the journey.
They had no idea that even a drop of this wine would be crucial in saving their lives. The next day, October 13, 1972, the weather improved. At around 2:18 PM, the pilot took off again and headed towards Chile.
After flying for a short time, at around 3:21 PM, the plane reached Planche Pass. There was no problem up to this point. After reaching here, the co-pilot connected to the air traffic controller in Santiago.
He informed them that they had reached Planche Pass. He also mentioned that they would reach Curico, which is in Chile, around 3:32 PM. Everything was fine until then, but at around 3:24 PM, the co-pilot contacted the Chilean air traffic controller again.
He informed them that they had reached Curico and were turning north. He said they would soon reach San Diego and requested permission to land. Curico is in Chile.
The air traffic controller, Enrique, was surprised by this. The flight from Planche Pass to Curico usually takes 11 minutes. The co-pilot claimed, just three minutes later, that they had reached Curico.
Enrique, the controller in Santiago, completely ignored this claim. He instructed the plane to descend to 10,000 feet and granted landing permission. At 3:30 PM, this was the last communication with the plane.
This mistake by the co-pilot was critical. It put the lives of all 45 people on board in serious danger. In reality, the co-pilot had completely miscalculated their position.
The plane was still at Planche Pass, in the Andes mountains. The co-pilot mistakenly believed they had reached Chile, and the main pilot did not notice the error. They began to descend in an area where the mountains were already very high.
They had no idea that their plane was in the Andes mountains. As the co-pilot was slowly reducing the plane's altitude, the plane first encountered an air pocket. An air pocket is an area with low air pressure.
This caused significant turbulence in the plane. Due to this turbulence, the passengers became very frightened and fastened their seatbelts. After the turbulence, the co-pilot tried to climb the plane higher.
Another jolt occurred, causing the plane to descend further. The mountains were very close to the plane’s altitude, and the plane was too low. As a result, the plane's right wing struck a mountain and broke off.
Following this, the left wing also broke off. Half of the plane then broke apart and fell to the ground at a speed of 350 km/h. As soon as the accident occurred, 5 people passed away immediately and 7 passengers were disoriented and didn't know what had happened.
Out of the 45 passengers, only 33 were left after the accident. Everyone on the plane was injured; some were unconscious, and others had seatbelts embedded in their stomachs. One passenger had a broken leg that was protruding.
People were crying, screaming, and panicking. There was a strong gasoline smell in the plane. Those who were in better condition started helping others out of the plane.
They were afraid that there might be an explosion. But as soon as they got outside, the temperature was below freezing. There was a lot of snow, and their feet were getting crushed.
They couldn't even walk, so they had to wait for a while. Eventually, they had to return to the plane out of helplessness. They tried to block the cold air and snow from the open side of the plane with seats.
When the plane crashed, the rear part, where everyone's luggage was stored, had broken off. All the passengers were wearing only t-shirts. They had no special winter clothing.
The only items they had were what remained in their handbags. There were no doctors among these 33 passengers. But there were two people who could help.
Their names were Kenessa and Gervino. They were medical students. One was in the first year and the other was in the second year.
They started providing as much assistance as they could. People were crying out in pain. They were covered in blood.
The plane crashed at 3:34 PM. After 30 minutes, it started to get dark as it approached 4 PM. Snow began to fall, and the wind was very strong.
For those already struggling with the cold, the situation worsened. It was completely dark, and no one could see anything. The seats in the plane were broken apart due to the accident.
With 33 people in a small space inside the plane, and chairs scattered everywhere, there was no room to move. There were 33 people in a 20-foot space, and the weather outside was extreme. So, all these people decided it was crucial to create more space inside.
They decided to temporarily move the unconscious people out of the plane to make room. Once the space was cleared, they would bring them back inside. So, they created space inside the plane and left the unconscious people outside.
Once they had made enough space inside, the unconscious people were brought back in and allowed to rest. The plane had crashed, and all 33 passengers were certain that the news of the crash would have spread. They believed it was nighttime and that the rescue team would arrive the next day.
They thought it was just a matter of a few hours and they needed to wait through the night. But thinking like that was their biggest mistake. They weren’t planning anything; they were just waiting for help.
During this time, a passenger mentioned that the cockpit had a radio. If they used it to send a message, it would be easier to be rescued. But the way to the cockpit was also blocked with seats, so it wasn't easy to reach.
Somehow, a passenger named Monco Sabela made his way into the cockpit to use the radio. As soon as he reached the cockpit, he heard a man screaming. After the accident, the nose of the plane had been driven deep into the ground, and all the instruments, along with pilot Farradas and co-pilot Lagurara, had been pushed inside.
Pilot Faradas had lost his life, but the instruments had penetrated his body, causing him to scream in severe pain. Monco tried to get the co-pilot out, but the seats wouldn't move at all. In fact, the co-pilot began to scream even more in pain.
Monco brought snow from outside and used it to moisten a handkerchief in an attempt to help Lagurara, but it was of no use. Lagurara continued to scream in agony, with his body trapped among the instruments. The co-pilot asked Monco to get a gun from a bag on the side and shoot him because he couldn’t bear the pain anymore.
But Monco didn’t do that. After a while, he left the cockpit and told everyone about it. He also lied, saying that he had communicated with the radio and that the rescue team was coming very soon, even though the radio was dead inside the cockpit.
He did this so that people’s morale would stay high and they wouldn’t get worried. So after this, it was nighttime. Snow was falling all around, it was 0 degrees, it was dark, and there was a cold wind.
In a small space, some people had broken legs, some were unconscious, and some were covered in blood. They spent the night like this. There were bottles of wine in their bag.
They took out 5 bottles and distributed them among themselves. The next day, October 14, 1972, it was morning, and the snow had decreased significantly. But at night, 5 more people passed away, and the co-pilot's life also ended that night.
So the next morning, there were 28 passengers left. They took out the bodies of the other 5 passengers who passed away that night and placed them outside the plane. This day also passed, and no rescue team arrived.
So all these people came together and made a plan to survive as best as they could for however long they had to stay there. They decided that no one would eat their own food and that all food would be collected in one place. They began gathering all the food together.
For liquids, they had three bottles of wine, along with bottles of whiskey and brandy. For solid food, they had 8 chocolates, nougats, dates, and diet plums scattered on the floor. They collected all the food in one place and assigned one person the responsibility of distributing it equally.
The food was very limited for 28 people, and no one knew when the rescue team would arrive. At lunchtime, they took a bite of chocolate and distributed wine using a deodorant cap. There was plenty of snow around for water, but due to the temperature, it was very difficult to melt.
When they were thirsty, they would put snow in their mouths to melt it. Some people would put snow in a bottle and shake it for hours to make water, but the process was not easy. The snow was contaminated with oil and blood, and the snow around where people urinated was particularly polluted.
If someone didn’t have boots, they had to travel far to collect snow and then bring it back to drink. Collecting snow and obtaining water took a lot of energy, and they could only eat as much food as was necessary to survive. They had to use all their energy, with no idea how long it would take or when the rescue team would arrive.
In such a situation, they were expending their energy in every possible way. Meanwhile, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay had all heard the news that a plane had disappeared and the passengers were missing. Search operations by Uruguay, Chile, and Argentina had begun.
During the search operation, a plane flew overhead. The survivors ran, made a lot of noise, and gestured frantically. But the search plane did not see them.
Another plane came by, and they made a lot of noise, but it still did not see them. The plane had crashed and was white, blending in with the surrounding white mountains and snow, making it very difficult to spot. They discussed how hard it was to find the white plane against the snowy landscape.
They decided that writing "S. O. S.
" on the plane might make it visible from the sky and increase their chances of rescue. They started using lipstick and nail polish from the girls inside the plane to write "S. O.
S. " on the roof. However, they only managed to complete half of the message before they ran out of lipstick and nail polish.
The search operations continued, but hope was diminishing. The weather was so severe that many believed if the plane was found, the passengers would not have survived. They hoped that with better weather and less snow, the search would be more successful.
According to international regulations, the country where the plane disappeared was required to search continuously for 10 days. So the search continued, though not with much enthusiasm. Meanwhile, those waiting spent their days in this dire situation.
As darkness fell again, their problems continued to escalate. With no washroom available, the 28 survivors were forced to urinate near the plane. With the darkness, cold, and pervasive smell, it became very difficult to survive.
The 28 survivors, huddled together in the darkness with their hands on their faces, waited in despair. No animals, insects, or plants were visible—just an endless expanse of white ice. On October 21, 1972, with no food and everyone weakened, they were unable to walk and could only sit and wait for help.
They remained in a state of helplessness, awaiting rescue. That day, due to weakness, the sister of a rugby team member passed away. With her de*th, only 27 survivors remained.
Uncertain of how long their ordeal would last, they had to ration the food to ensure everyone's survival. Despite their efforts to distribute the food, many people still experienced extreme hunger. Some resorted to eating the leather seat covers, which led to illness.
It was later decided that no one would eat the seat covers. The non-functioning radio was also a concern. Marcelo, a technician, attempted to fix the radio by connecting it to a battery.
At that time, their only hope for help relied on getting the radio to work. Marcelo connected the radio to the battery and turned it on after many days. However, they were unable to receive a signal and could only catch some radio stations from Chile.
They could only listen to news from Chile and were unable to send any messages from their location. One day, Marcelo heard a news broadcast stating that the search operation for Uruguay's rugby team plane had been stopped. Marcelo gathered everyone and shared that this was, in fact, good news.
Everyone was initially happy, but Marcelo clarified that the good news was that the search operation had been halted. This meant that their only option was to escape on their own. No one would come to rescue them.
At least now they knew that. After hearing this, two friends from the rugby team set out to explore further. But after walking for many kilometers, all they saw was endless white snow.
As night fell, they returned to the plane to ensure their survival. Venturing further could have meant losing their lives. With the remaining food in very small quantities, people were extremely sick and frightened.
They were distributing the food as carefully as possible. Then, medical students suggested they make arrangements for food if they wanted to stay alive. The next suggestion shocked everyone.
They proposed eating the dead bodies lying outside to survive, or else they wouldn't have enough strength to cut and consume the bodies later. Everyone was taken aback, and some were angered, as their friends and family were among the deceased. After multiple discussions, a decision was made.
On the 9th of October 1972, the situation became even more dire when an avalanche struck, resulting in the loss of 8 lives and destroying all their preparations. Following this incident, only 19 people remained alive, and even walking had become a struggle. Those who had initially weighed 80 kg now weighed around 30-40 kg, and their food supplies were critically low.
One passenger took a piece of glass from the wreckage, went outside, and began cutting the frozen bodies into small pieces. He brought the pieces back, placed them on the plane's roof to dry, and later consumed a portion. Seeing this, two other people did the same.
The morale of the group began to decline as they were surrounded by snow, and the search operation had ended. Some members of the rugby team tried to lift spirits by singing, but nothing seemed to help. A boy named Enrique, who had a rod from a chair stuck in his stomach, was recovering.
However, something was protruding from his stomach, causing him immense pain whenever he moved. The pain was so severe that removing it could potentially damage his intestines, posing a significant risk of de*th. Despite this, Enrique insisted on removing the painful object.
Without surgical instruments, they used a piece of glass as a makeshift tool to perform the surgery. Miraculously, the intestines were unharmed. Without any anesthesia, they closed the incision by holding the shirt tight over it.
Despite the primitive conditions, the surgery was successful. As more days passed, three more people passed away, leaving only 16 survivors. By this time, they realized that no outside help was coming and that they needed to take matters into their own hands.
Those who had initially hesitated to consume the bodies of their friends or family members now agreed to do so. They also made a pact to grant each other permission to use their bodies for survival after de*th. Realizing that waiting idly for de*th was futile, they decided to take action.
The plane crash site was open to the east, showing nothing but white snow in the distance, while the west side was blocked by mountains. They theorized that there might be something beyond the mountains, possibly trees or plants that could aid in their survival. Climbing the mountains seemed their only hope.
On the 20th of November, they made a detailed plan to scale the western mountains. They selected a team of three: Roberto Canessa, Nando Parado, and Antonio Vizintin, who were in better physical condition than the others. Canessa, a medical student, was chosen for his knowledge.
They agreed to wait for better weather, planning to climb in mid-December when conditions were more favorable. In preparation, the selected team underwent regular exercise to aid their climb. They were trained by medical students on how to survive in extreme conditions and cope with low oxygen levels.
These three individuals began their training for these conditions. They also developed their own marking system so that while climbing the mountain, they could mark their route. This would help them remember the way back if necessary.
They prepared makeshift flares and reflective materials to aid their visibility. so that if they needed to signal or request help along the way, they could use them. They knew that the cold would be harsher than anything they had previously experienced.
So they extracted the cotton from the plane seats, stuffed it into their t-shirts and clothes, and fashioned makeshift jackets. They took clothes from the deceased and wore them in double and triple layers. Without proper shoes, they used basic shoes and stuffed seat cushions inside them for insulation.
For sustenance, they packed pieces of dead bodies along with some chocolates and nougats in a box. On the 12th of December, 1972, they decided that the three of them would attempt to cross the mountain. According to their plan, they would ascend during daylight and rest at night.
So, early in the morning, the three set off toward the west side. This was not a normal climb; it was extremely cold and at a high altitude. On the 12th, they set out and advanced slowly, taking shelter whenever the weather turned bad.
After three days of walking, they realized that their food supply was insufficient for the three of them. Realizing the shortage, they decided on the 15th of December to send Antonio back to the plane. With the hope of conserving food, Antonio was sent back while Roberto and Nando continued their journey.
The climb was difficult, but descending was easier. Because they had already marked their path, Antonio was able to slide down quickly and reached his friends at the plane. He reported that Roberto and Nando were still advancing.
They were climbing the mountain slowly. On the 18th of December, a plane also pass over their heads. They signaled with the indicators, but there was no response.
The next day, they continued their climb on the 19th of December. By the 20th of December, 1972, they needed to reach the top of the mountain. Up to that point, they had walked nearly 60 km over more than 8 days.
As they neared the summit, both were extremely nervous. They were very nervous because if they saw more white mountains after reaching the top, it would mean they were still trapped in the snow-covered terrain. Reaching the summit, they prayed for a different view.
Fortunately, they saw a mountain with no snow and a river below. This was a huge relief. After more than 70 days of hardship, they were overjoyed to see a potentially promising landscape.
They hoped to find fruits and trees for sustenance. Their map indicated that they had to move from points 3 and 4 to point 9. There was no snow beyond this point, but walking remained difficult due to their exhaustion.
They spent a night by the riverside, resting as best as they could. Upon waking, they discovered some cows, a packet of Maggi noodles, and some burning wood nearby. They were overjoyed, hoping that this sign meant they were close to receiving help.
The river was wide and had a strong current, making it challenging to cross. After a while, while they were waiting, a man on horseback appeared on the other side of the river. As mentioned, the river was very wide with a strong current.
They tried to communicate, but there was no sound coming through; there was no way to hear each other. They were signaling from their side, but the man on horseback couldn't understand their gestures. Eventually, the man on the horse spoke at length, though they couldn't hear most of it.
The only word they could make out was "tomorrow. " After that, the man left. They speculated that he might have told them to come back the next day.
They waited for him. While one rested, the other kept watch for someone to return. The next day, the man returned, bringing a piece of paper and a pen.
He wrote on the paper, "What do you want? " He wrapped the paper around a stone and threw it across the river. They wrote their message on the paper and sent it back in the same manner.
The message read, "I come from a plane that crashed in the mountains. I am Uruguayan. " This was written on the paper, and it is the original message they sent.
When the man read the message, he understood their situation and said, "I understand," then quickly notified the local authorities and arranged for help. They were rescued and taken to the hospital, where they recounted the entire ordeal. They shared the story of how and where the remaining 14 friends had been stranded and how they had survived.
On the other side, where the plane had crashed, the remaining 14 people were waiting, staying by the radio for 9 days, hoping for any news. Finally, on the 22nd of December, the news came that the Uruguayan plane had been in an accident, and that two survivors had been found and rescued. Upon hearing this news, everyone began to cry with relief.
It was very good news for everyone. At the same time, two helicopters were prepared to go to the crash site and rescue all the survivors. These 2 survivors, who weighed less than 30 kg each, were asked to guide the helicopters to the crash site, and they led the way.
The helicopters reached the site, and all the passengers were rescued safely. Spending 72 days in such harsh conditions, enduring extreme cold and starvation, is a story that demonstrates that if you don't lose your courage, you can overcome any situation. While the methods they chose for survival raised many questions, the truth is, it is a story of courage and inspiration.
So, let me remind you that Odoo is hosting India’s biggest tech and business event, Odoo Community Days, on the 23rd and 24th of August. Don’t miss it. Thank you.
