The fascinating survival drama film “Alive” is largely based on the crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571. The Old Christians Club rugby union team, headquartered in Montevideo, Uruguay, was scheduled to play the Old Boys Club, based in Santiago, Chile, in October 1972. To get the players, coaches, and a few family members to the game, Uruguayan Club President Daniel Juan scheduled a flight with the Uruguayan Air Force. In addition, on October 12, 1972, the trip from Carrasco International Airport was piloted by Colonel Julio César Ferradas and Lieutenant-Colonel Dante Héctor Lagurara, who both flew the aircraft safely.
Regretfully, Dante was piloting the aircraft when the mishap happened on October 13. The co-pilot thought the plane had arrived in Curicó, the destination from which they were to descend to Pudahuel Airport. But Dante misjudged his readings, and when he descended, the plane struck a mountain range, breaking both its wings and tail. Soon after, the damage caused the entire aircraft to lose control, and it crashed in a secluded area of the Andes close to the border between Argentina and Chile.
Even though a number of passengers perished at impact, those who survived discovered themselves in a freezing environment devoid of any flora or fauna. The little food that they had was first shared by the group, but it quickly ran out. In addition, the survivors became very ill after attempting to consume the leather and cotton from the chairs. With no way out of the situation, the gang got together and made a promise that if one of them perished, the others would consume their remains in order to live on.
People quickly realised that eating the corpses preserved in the snow was the only way to survive, despite the initial outrage and horror at the proposal. Therefore, until just sixteen of them were saved in December, roughly two months after the crash, the survivors were forced to turn to cannibalism. Now, let’s investigate the specifics of the horrifying event and learn the current whereabouts of the survivors.
Roberto Canessa is Thriving as a Pediatric Cardiologist Today
The first person to propose that the survivors should eat human flesh in order to survive was Roberto Canessa, a rugby player on board. Furthermore, Roberto was crucial to the rescue effort because he and Fernando Parrado had to walk across the Andes for ten days without receiving assistance. Roberto said after the rescue that he was motivated to continue despite the scary circumstances by the notion of his mother and fiancée waiting for him at home. He even went on to wed Laura Surraco, his fiancée, and the two of them are now the proud parents of three kids.
In addition, readers will be happy to learn that Roberto went on to enjoy a prosperous career as a paediatric cardiologist and even entered the Uruguayan presidential race in 1994. Roberto is currently regarded as a significant political player in Uruguay; he even co-wrote the book “I Had to Survive” with Pablo Vierci. We are also pleased to announce that Roberto has established a fantastic life with his wife and kids and is a well-known motivational speaker.
Nando Parrado is a TV Presenter and Motivational Speaker Now
When the plane crashed, Nando’s mother and sister were inside, and none of them made it out of the cold. Nando and Roberto Canessa nevertheless hiked through the Andes for ten days until they were able to obtain assistance for the remaining survivors, in spite of the terrible loss. By the way, after being brought home following the rescue, Nando left college early to pursue his dream of being a professional race car driver.
But eventually, he inherited his father’s hardware company, which sparked his interest in starting his own firm. Nando is currently happily married and makes a job as a TV host and motivational speaker. We also wish him the best of luck in the years to come. He even co-wrote the book “Miracle in the Andes: 72 Days on the Mountain and My Long Trek Home” with Vince Rause.
Carlos Páez Rodríguez is Currently Running His Own Advertising Agency
Carlos, an Old Christians Club rugby player, was among the youngest survivors, having only a few days to go until turning nineteen when the plane went down. After being saved, he put his all into advancing his profession, quickly getting a degree from the Universidad del Trabajo del Uruguay and starting work as an agricultural technician. But he quickly switched to the advertising industry, and he now has his own firm where he provides public relations and communication consulting to other businesses.
Furthermore, Carlos enjoys considerable popularity as a lecturer and motivational speaker. Along with being a proud father to Carlos Diego and Maria Elena de los Andes “Gochi,” readers will also be pleased to learn that Carlos is the author of three books: “After the Tenth Day,” “My Second Mountain Range,” and “From the Cordillera del Alma.”
José Pedro Algorta is Presently Earning a Living as an Economist Today
At the time of the plane disaster, Jose Pedro Algorta was a student studying economics and a rugby player for the Old Christians Club. But after being saved, he relocated from his Uruguayan home to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he enrolled in the University of Buenos Aires to pursue an economics degree.
Jose Pedro Algorta is currently employed as an economist and later earned a master’s degree in business administration from Stanford University. In addition, he is married to Maria Noelle Sauval and they have three children together. He wrote the book “Into the Mountains: The Extraordinary True Story of Survival in the Andes and Its Aftermath.”
Alfredo “Pancho” Delgado is Currently Keeping His Personal Life Private
A member of the Old Christians Club rugby team, Alfredo Delgado—better known by his moniker Pancho—was able to endure for 72 days in the Andes. Readers will be relieved to learn, however, that after being saved, Alfredo continued to pursue his athletic career and turned to rugby as a way to deal with the nightmare that persisted for years. In addition, Alfredo was sixty years old in October 2012 when he took part in a commemorative rugby match versus Old Grangonian Club to commemorate the forty years since the accident and rescue. Even while it appears like the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 is still located in Uruguay, Alfredo currently wishes to keep his personal life private.
Daniel Fernández is Embracing Privacy in His Life Today
Daniel Fernandez, another rugby team member, overcame several obstacles and battled against all odds to survive for 72 days in the Andes. Like Alfredo, Daniel kept in close contact with the majority of his fellow survivors after the rescue and also turned to Rugy as a coping method. Daniel participated in the rugby match in October 2012, which commemorated the incident’s 40th anniversary, but he has since embraced privacy, making it unclear where he is now.
Roberto “Bobby” François is Preferring Privacy in His Current Life Now
When Roberto “Bobby” François boarded Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 on October 12, 1972, he had no idea what disaster lay ahead. He nevertheless made every effort to live for 72 days, and on December 23, he was finally found and saved. According to reports, Roberto eventually experienced the effects of the arduous 72 days when he lost about 90% of his vision in one eye.
However, Roberto didn’t allow the sadness hold him back and instead made appearances on a number of TV shows and documentaries, giving in-depth talks on his experiences. Even though Roberto seems to have established a peaceful life in Uruguay, he currently favours solitude when it comes to his personal life.
Roy Harley is Enjoying Life Surrounded by Family in Uruguay Today
One of the rugby players aboard Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, Roy Harley, stated after the disaster that the first day of the crash was the most horrifying since the injured and bleeding survivors realised they were all alone in a remote part of the Andes. In addition, because it was nightfall, the whole place was completely dark, forcing the passengers to suffer the bitter cold and cuddle up together while they awaited the sun to rise. Currently, Roy Harles is surrounded by his children and grandchildren and has a contented married life in Uruguay. Furthermore, Roy has gained notoriety as a coach and motivational speaker in addition to being the only person from Uruguay to carry an Olympic torch at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
José “Coche” Luis Inciarte is Courageously Battling Cancer and Speaking Motivationally
José “Coche” Luis Inciarte, who was only 24 years old at the time of the accident, demonstrated an amazing desire to live throughout the gruelling 72 days in the Andes. After being saved, he was reunited with his mother and Soledad, the woman he would eventually marry. With their three children and eight grandkids at their disposal, Jose and his wife, Soledad, have currently established a splendid life in Carrasco, Uruguay.
Furthermore, although we regret to inform you that José “Coche” Luis is presently facing cancer, he has gained a great deal of notoriety as a motivational speaker because he refuses to give up easily. In addition, he wrote the book “Memories of the Andes.” We hope the best for him in the years to come.
Álvaro Mangino is Currently Running His Own Line of Wines
Alvaro Mangino was left with two shattered legs from the crash, according to reports, and his only task was to transform the ice into drinking water so the survivors could stay hydrated and clean. After being saved, Alvaro went back to his house determined to make something to honour the memory of those who did not make it out alive. As a result, he eventually started his own wine company, Valle de Las Lagrimas, and is now living in Uruguay.
How Did Javier Methol Die?
Javier Methol persevered in the Andes for 72 days, displaying amazing fortitude in the face of fear. After returning home, he remained close to the majority of other survivors and would regularly show up to their annual gatherings on December 22 to celebrate the valiant rescue. In addition, he achieved success in his career as a merchant and ultimately made Montevideo, Uruguay, his home.
We regret to inform you of the bad news, but Javier’s severe cancer diagnosis in mid-2015 left doctors optimistic about his prognosis. After that, on June 4, 2015, at the age of 79, he passed away. Nearly all of the surviving survivors showed out for Javier’s funeral.
Ramón Sabella Currently Operates a Successful Meat-Exporting Business
It’s interesting to note that Ramon Sabella accompanied several pals rather than playing rugby with the Old Christians Club. The student of agronomy, however, resisted giving in to the might of nature and instead made every effort to live until help arrived. After returning home, Ramon finished his education and pursued a career in business.
The Uruguayan citizen runs a hugely prosperous meat export company and is currently married to Gloria Scappin. Furthermore, Ramon gained a great deal of notoriety as a motivational speaker, and we hope the best for him in the years to come.
Adolfo “Fito” Strauch is Choosing to Keep His Personal Life Private
Adolfo said after the rescue that he resisted falling into depression despite having nightmares about the terrible crash for years. Furthermore, he married Paula Martín Valdés, and the two of them now live in Uruguay and are proud parents of four amazing kids. Furthermore, despite the fact that Adolfo spoke about his experience in a number of TV shows and documentaries, the Uruguayan resident today chooses to keep her private life private.
Eduardo Strauch is Leading Alpine Expeditions and Expeditions to the Crash Site
Even though Eduardo displayed incredible bravery in the days that followed the collision, he quickly established himself as a born leader and was in charge of organising the survivors until help arrived. After returning home, Eduardo became well-known as a motivational speaker and spoke about his experiences on a number of TV programmes and documentaries. In addition, Eduardo and Ricardo Pena also run their own business, Alpine journeys, and together they organise two annual journeys to the crash site in an effort to preserve the memory of the deceased.
Antonio “Tintin” Vizintín is Currently Living in Uruguay as a Motivational Speaker
Antonio “Tintin” Vizintín was appalled by what he had gone through during the 72-day ordeal in the Andes, but he turned to Rugby to help him forget the horrors. He even remained close to his fellow survivors even after they were rescued. While not much is known about Antonio’s life right now, we do know that he lives in Uruguay and works as a motivational speaker.
Gustavo Zerbino is Serving as Director of the Uruguayan Rugby Federation
In addition to being a rugby player, Gustavo Zerbino studied medicine and was instrumental in providing emergency care to those hurt in the early hours following the collision. He even demonstrated exceptional leadership abilities and made use of his medical expertise to maintain the survivors’ best potential health. After being saved, Gustavo started playing rugby union and later rose to prominence as a motivational speaker. Gustavo Zerbino is the CEO and Director of the Uruguayan Rugby Federation, and he now resides in Uruguay.