Miracle in the Andes

[The AD]

Did anyone else catch the 20/20 documentary last night called "Prisoners of the Snow" about the 1972 airplane crash in the Andes and the subsequent amazing survival story? I've been captivated by that story since reading the book Alive! when I was a kid. It's just such an incredible story of teamwork and perseverance. Per last night's documentary 15 of the 16 survivors are still alive as of 2023. Several of them were interviewed for the 20/20 show.

[Core Shot]

It’s more of a miracle that 20/20 is still a thing.
Is hugh downs still hosting?

[PNWbrit]

I missed that. will have to check it out.

The crash site is only 30 miles from Las Lenas.

[The AD]

Probably not a lot of new material for those well-versed in the story, but there was a lot I'd forgotten. It was also interesting to hear the actual survivors recount what happened. Both guys who made the trek out for help are featured extensively.

Many of these guys had never even seen snow before, yet 16 of them managed to survive for two months in a place not exactly amenable to human life.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Oh yeah, we passed that book around in 6th grade. Cannibalism was entirely fascinating for us kids.

[The AD]

I just added Nando Parrado's book "Miracle in the Andes" to my library queue. He wrote it in 2006, so with 30+ years to reflect on the events in 1972.

[mcski]

It’s more of a miracle that 20/20 is still a thing.
Is hugh downs still hosting?

No, he was consumed in 2010. Kinda like jerky

[AK47bp]

I watched it. It was good.

Surprised to hear how eating their dead friends became really normal and that they ate most of the bodies, organs included, they said the brains were delicious. From the movie they made it look like they just ate some butt cheek and back strap.

They were about out of bodies to eat then an avalanche gave them 8 more to eat and allowed them to survive.

Crazy.

[The AD]

Yes, many of the remains were nearly skeletal.

I was doing some reading today and one of the last cannibalism holdouts ended up dying (even thought he had finally given in, he was eating very little). He was estimated to have weighed only 55 lbs when he died. So you figure he must have lost close to 100 pounds in less than two months.

[JimmyCarter]

Yes, many of the remains were nearly skeletal.

I was doing some reading today and one of the last cannibalism holdouts ended up dying (even thought he had finally given in, he was eating very little). He was estimated to have weighed only 55 lbs when he died. So you figure he must have lost close to 100 pounds in less than two months.

BRB, working on the marketing plan for a new diet fad

[The AD]

You mean the Mediterranean Diet isn't about eating people of Mediterranean heritage?

[old goat]

And here I thought the miracle in the Andes was cutting a potato in half and seeing the likeness of the virgin Mary.

[ötzi]

Yes, many of the remains were nearly skeletal.

I was doing some reading today and one of the last cannibalism holdouts ended up dying (even thought he had finally given in, he was eating very little). He was estimated to have weighed only 55 lbs when he died. So you figure he must have lost close to 100 pounds in less than two months.

He was probably just making sure they wouldn't eat him after he died.

[The AD]

He was probably just making sure they wouldn't eat him after he died.

True. Solid strategy.

[irul&ublo]

He was probably just making sure they wouldn't eat him after he died.

Just turning himself into jerky

[irul&ublo]

And here I thought the miracle in the Andes was cutting a potato in half and seeing the likeness of the virgin Mary.

In Memphis it would be Elvis