What happened in the Andes in 1972
On 13 October 1972, a Fairchild FH-227 chartered by an amateur rugby team crashed high in the Andes mountains between Chile and Argentina. Of the 45 people on board, 29 died in the impact and exposure; 16 survivors faced extreme cold, altitude, and limited supplies. This evergreen explainer summarizes what is widely verified about the flight, the decisions survivors made, and the long term consequences for aviation safety and the people involved.
Flight details and passenger profile
Aircraft, route, and passengers on board
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft | Fairchild FH-227, registration LV-JTN | Aviation investigation reports |
| Operator | Argentinian military charter carrier (LADE) | Operator records |
| Route | Montevideo to Santiago, with a scheduled stop at Mendoza | Flight plan documentation |
| Onboard | 45 people: 12 crew, 33 passengers | Crew and passenger manifests |
| Date | 13 October 1972 | Official accident timeline |
| Crash site | Glacier near Cerro Seler, in the central Andes | Search and rescue reports |
The flight originated in Montevideo and was en route to Santiago with a planned refuel in Mendoza. Severe weather, including turbulence and low cloud, contributed to the aircraft descending below its intended altitude and impacting a mountainside and glacier. Immediate fatalities reduced the group to 16 people who remained alive at the crash site.
Immediate survival and on site decisions
In the minutes after impact, survivors dealt with injuries, subzero temperatures, and scant equipment. Key on site choices included:
- Using the aircraft fuselage and luggage to create a rudimentary shelter
- Sending small teams to seek help, which ended tragically when avalanches and poor visibility led to further deaths
- Accepting that rescue was not imminent, leading to the grim decision to use the deceased for food and tools, a choice later described in the 1974 book Alive and at official investigations
Not all survivors made the same decisions, and disagreements about leadership and risk shaped the group’s dynamics over the following weeks.
Rescue timeline and how they were found
| Date | Event | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 13 October 1972 | Crash occurs; survivors establish camp | Start of survival period |
| 16 October 1972 | First search aircraft passes near site; survivors not spotted | Highlights difficulty of locating small parties in rugged terrain |
| 7 December 1972 | Two survivors, Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa, reach a farm in Chile | End of the rescue timeline for the final two |
| 8 December 1972 | Chilean military launches large scale search, rescues remaining survivors | Brings an end to the survival period |
The last two survivors walked for roughly 10 days across the mountains to find help. When Chilean authorities realized the scope of the ongoing rescue effort, the remaining group was airlifted to safety, 72 days after the crash.
Outcome and long term consequences
The crash killed 29 people; 16 survived. In the aftermath, investigations focused on flight planning, weather routing, and decision making under duress. The survivors’ experiences influenced discussions about risk, ethics, and leadership in extreme environments. Media interest surged after the 1974 publication of Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors, and later adaptations kept the story in public memory. Today the event is studied in psychology, leadership, and aviation safety courses, while some survivors have reported lasting physical and psychological effects from the trauma.
Lessons and enduring relevance
For aviation and risk management professionals, the 1972 Andes incident underscores the importance of redundant communication, realistic operational planning for mountainous routes, and training for contingency decision making. For the public, the story remains a case study in human endurance, group dynamics, and ethical dilemmas under pressure. Its lessons endure in modern survival training protocols and continue to inform how organizations prepare for remote operations and crisis response.