By OBBM Network Editorial Staff

Derived from an episode of Forgotten History.

Imagine the white fuselage of a doomed plane disappearing into a snow‑covered mountain range, its wreckage invisible to passing aircraft. That was the grim reality for a Uruguayan rugby team and their companions when their Fairchild FH‑227 vanished over the Andes in October 1972.

From the Pitch to the Peaks: The Flight and the Crash

The flight left Uruguay on October 12, bound for a match in Chile. After an emergency landing in Argentina due to bad weather, the aircraft was forced to depart the next day—Friday the 13th—under pressure from Argentine authorities who would not allow it to remain on the ground for more than 24 hours. At 2:18 p.m. the plane took off from Mendoza, climbing to about 18,000 feet and heading toward the Malargue radio beacon. Lieutenant Colonel Dante Hector Laguerrara, the co‑pilot, radioed that they expected to cross the 8,251‑foot Planchón Pass at 3:21 p.m.

What followed was a cascade of misfortune. Turbulence dropped the plane several hundred feet, then a second sudden dip sent it out of the clouds. The pilots, believing they had cleared the mountains, were shocked to see a ridge only ten or twenty feet away. The aircraft struck a snow‑covered ridge; both wings sheared off, the tail ripped away, and the fuselage crashed into a narrow valley. The impact crushed the cockpit, pinning the pilots, and killed three passengers, the navigator and a flight attendant in the tail section.

Immediate Aftermath: Injuries, Cold, and First‑Aid Efforts

Medical students Roberto Canessa and Gustavo Zerbino rushed to treat the wounded. Injuries were severe: Arturo Nogueira suffered two broken legs; Rafael Echeverría’s calf was stripped down to bone; a metal tube pierced Enrique Platero’s stomach, pulling out part of his intestines. Night temperatures fell to minus 30 °F. Marcelo Perez sealed the opening where the tail had torn away by packing seats, luggage and snow against the gap, creating a crude windbreak. The survivors fashioned aluminum collectors from seat backs to melt snow for drinking water and used woolen seat covers as makeshift blankets.

Vito Strauch built a solar water collector from sheet metal, and cut green cockpit visors into improvised sunglasses to prevent snow blindness. The group cleared debris and turned the fuselage into an eight‑by‑ten‑foot shelter, sharing limited supplies of chocolate, nuts, jam and wine.

The Moral Abyss: Cannibalism as a Means of Survival

After eleven days, a repaired transistor radio confirmed that the official search had been called off. With food exhausted, the survivors faced a terrifying decision. “We did it out of necessity. It was like communion,” recalled Antonio Vizentin. The group ultimately agreed to eat the frozen flesh of those who had died in the crash. Roberto Canessa described the agonizing choice: “Our common goal was to survive, but what we lacked was food… We knew the answer, but the answer was just too terrifying to contemplate.” Every survivor eventually partook, though many did so with deep reluctance. The only remaining woman, Liliana Methal, accepted the act only after someone likened it to receiving Holy Communion, highlighting the profound faith that guided many of the rugby players.

Rescue Efforts and the Final Escape

On October 29 an avalanche buried the fuselage, killing eight people. The survivors dug a breathing hole and eventually cleared a passage, only to be forced back inside by a blizzard. With morale collapsing, three men—Nando Parado, Roberto Canessa and Antonio Vizentin—volunteered to trek for help on December 12. Armed with a handmade sleeping bag and dried meat, they set out across the unforgiving ridge, guided only by memory of a previous flight path. Their trek led to a Chilean shepherd who alerted authorities, prompting a rescue that saved the remaining 16 survivors.

Colin D. Heaton and other hosts of the Forgotten History series guide listeners through this harrowing saga, emphasizing how the crash forced the world to confront questions of endurance, morality and the human spirit that still resonate today.

Legacy and Reflection

The Andes disaster remains a stark reminder of the limits of human resilience and the ethical dilemmas faced when survival is at stake. It also underscores the importance of preparation, aircraft suitability, and the perils of operating under political pressure—issues still relevant to modern aviation safety discussions. The story endures not only as a tale of survival but as a profound meditation on faith, community solidarity, and the choices that define us when all else is lost.

The full episode of Forgotten History is available on OBBM Network TV.