Miracle in the Andes: The Survival Story of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571

Overview

• A chartered aircraft carrying the Uruguayan Old Christians Rugby Club crashed in the Andes.
• 72 days after the crash, survivors were found.
• The event is known as "The Miracle in the Andes."

The Old Christians Rugby Club

• One of the biggest rugby teams in Uruguay.
• Founded in 1962, with numerous domestic league titles.
• Players prioritized rugby above everything else.

The Flight and Crash

• Flight on Friday the 13th from Montevideo to Santiago, Chile.
• Bad weather forced a stop in Argentina; conditions remained poor.
• The plane experienced turbulence and crashed into a mountain.
• Passengers initially thought dead; survivors included rugby players and their families.

Immediate Aftermath

• Survivors trapped; medical students Gustavo Zerbino and Roberto Canessa treated injuries.
• Survivors used plane fuselage as shelter, insulated with bags.

Nando Parado's Experience

• Regained consciousness days after the crash.
• Lost family members in the crash.
• Struggled with lack of mourning due to survival needs.

Survival Tactics

• Optimism that rescue would come.
• Created makeshift sleeping bags and devices to melt snow for water.
• Resorting to cannibalism of deceased passengers to survive.
• Made a pact to use bodies for survival, likened to communion.

Adversities and Resilience

• Avalanche and starvation claimed more lives.
• Rugby camaraderie helped boost morale and resilience.

Discovering the Search Was Called Off

• Survivors learned via radio that search efforts were suspended.
• Realized survival was solely up to them.

Trek for Rescue

• Nando Parado, Roberto Canessa, and Antonio Vizintin attempted a trek.
• Antonio had to turn back due to exhaustion.
• Nando and Roberto ultimately found help.

Rescue and Aftermath

• Contact with a farmer led to their discovery.
• Helicopter rescue operation initiated.
• Survivors expressed bittersweet emotions leaving the Andes.
• Parado reflects on the importance of family and life post-survival.

Reflections

• Survivors express gratitude for life and the importance of family.
• Nando Parado considers the experience a rebirth, cherishing life and family.