CalendarZ

    • English English
    • español español
    • français français
    • português português
    • русский русский
    • العربية العربية
    • 简体中文 简体中文
  • Home
  • Religious Holidays
  • National Holidays
  • Other Days
  • On This Day
  • Tools
    • Date converter
    • Age Calculator
  1. Home
  2. On This Day
  3. December
  4. 23
  5. 1972 Andes flight disaster

Events on December 23 in history

1972 Andes flight disaster
1972Dec, 23

The 16 survivors of the Andes flight disaster are rescued after 73 days, having reportedly survived by cannibalism.

Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, also known as Miracle Flight 571, was a chartered flight originating in Montevideo, Uruguay, bound for Santiago, Chile, that crashed high in the Andes mountains on 13 October 1972. The accident became known as the Andes flight disaster (Tragedia de los Andes) and the Miracle of the Andes (Milagro de los Andes).

While crossing the Andes during poor weather, the inexperienced co-pilot of the Fairchild FH-227D mistakenly believed they had reached Curicó, despite instrument readings that indicated otherwise. The aircraft began descending too early to reach Pudahuel Airport and struck a mountain, shearing off both wings and the tail section. The remaining portion of the fuselage slid down the mountain about 725 metres (2,379 ft) before striking ice and snow on a glacier. The flight was carrying 45 passengers and crew, including 19 members of the Old Christians Club rugby union team, along with their families, supporters, and friends.

The wreck was located at an elevation of 3,570 metres (11,710 ft) in the remote Andes of far western Argentina, just east of the border with Chile. Three crew members and eight passengers died immediately; several more died soon afterward due to the frigid temperatures and the severity of their injuries. Authorities flew over the crash site several times over the following days, searching for the aircraft, but could not see the white fuselage against the snow. Search efforts were canceled after eight days.During the following 72 days, the survivors suffered numerous hardships, including exposure, starvation, and an avalanche, and 13 more passengers died. Some resorted to cannibalism. As the weather improved with the Southern Hemisphere spring, two survivors, Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa, climbed a 4,650-metre (15,260 ft) mountain peak without gear and hiked for 10 days into Chile to seek help, traveling 38 miles (61 km). On 23 December 1972, two months after the crash, the last of the 16 survivors were rescued.

References

  • 1972 Andes flight disaster

Choose Another Date

Events on 1972

  • 21Feb

    Sino-American relations

    United States President Richard Nixon visits the People's Republic of China to normalize Sino-American relations.
  • 8May

    Richard Nixon

    Vietnam War: U.S. President Richard Nixon announces his order to place mines in major North Vietnamese ports in order to stem the flow of weapons and other goods to that nation.
  • 22May

    Sri Lanka

    Ceylon adopts a new constitution, becoming a Republic, changes its name to Sri Lanka, and joins the Commonwealth of Nations.
  • 23Jun

    Central Intelligence Agency

    Watergate scandal: U.S. President Richard M. Nixon and White House Chief of Staff H. R. Haldeman are taped talking about using the Central Intelligence Agency to obstruct the Federal Bureau of Investigation's investigation into the Watergate break-ins.
  • 1Sep

    Bobby Fischer

    In Reykjavík, Iceland, American Bobby Fischer beats Russian Boris Spassky to become the world chess champion.

About CalendarZ

CalendarZ

In addition of showing the dates of significant holidays and events; CalendarZ enables you easily check out the time remaining to a certain date and all other details.

Our Partners

WoWDeals : All Deals in One Place

Quick Navigation

  • Home
  • Upcoming Holidays
  • Religious Holidays
  • National Holidays
  • Other Days
  • Blog
  • Age Calculator
  • On This Day

© 2025 CalendarZ. All Rights Reserved. Contact Us / Privacy Policy

English   |   español   |   français   |   português   |   русский   |   العربية   |   简体中文