Alive!: Airplane Crash in the Andes Mountains

by Scott P. Werther

Describes how sixteen victims of a plane crash in the Andes Mountains of South America survived for seventy days in the harsh mountain conditions before being rescued.

Genres: Nonfiction

48 pages, Library Binding

First published September 1, 2003

Reviews

[Melinda Christensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I realize this book is for younger readers, but it could have contained a few more details about those who came out alive. It did cover the incredible tragic ordeal, however. On October 12, 1972, a plane left Montevideo, Uruguay, for Santiago, Chili. The weather turned bad, so the plane landed in Mendoza, Argentina. On the 13th, they set out again, only to crash in the Andes Mountains at an extremely high elevation just one hour later. There were forty passengers and five crew members. Sixteen passengers were members of an Uruguayan college rugby team on its way to play a match in Chili. They were accompanied by friends and family. As a result of the crash, many died, leaving only sixteen survivors. The book didn't say, but I have a hunch that those who were alive must have been the rugby players, all fit and all in their twenties. Can you imagine how cold it must have been? The crash knocked off both wings and the tail section, so survivors piled luggage and other items where the tail section had been to keep out the cold. They slept in the plane. They saw two search planes go over, but no more. Finally, a small group make an attempt to hike out of the mountains, to no avail. Then, two avalanches bury the survivors inside the plane. On December 11, three men set off to find help, but one returns after a few days, to weak to go on. The two remaining survivors continue to search, finding cow herders at work, who promised to return to help. The next day, the cow herders return and take the survivors to a hut. Rescue helicopters fly to the crash site and bring out the survivors.

The book did mention that those remaining alive found it necessary to eat the flesh of the dead to stay alive. I don't believe anyone should judge them for that; it took great courage. What would you have done?

[Priya Sambhar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading about An unfortunate event , is not a pleasant journey as a reader...but few parts left me motivated enough to re consider beauties of life.......
The struggle of those young players , who stayed in a crashed plane for months ....How they survived chilling and dropping temperature without food n water ....

At the end , Spirit of Life won !!!!!!!