Alive in the Andes Trivia Quiz

Answer: Montevideo (Uruguay) to Santiago

Flight 571 from the Uruguayan Air Force set off in a Fairchild 227 from Montevideo, Uruguay, with destination Santiago in Chile. Because of bad weather they had to make a stop in Mendoza (Argentina). The next day the weather had cleared up and the flight to Santiago was resumed.

Answer: True

The flight took off on Thursday 12 October 1972 and was scheduled to arrive at its destination the same day. Because of the stop in Mendoza the passengers had to spend the night there. The fatal flight took off from Mendoza on Friday 13 October 1972 and crashed in the Andes the same day.

Answer: Human error

The flight didn't go westwards in a direct line because that would have taken the plane directly into the mountains. The Fairchild 227 wasn't capable of reaching the necessary altitude to cross the Andes that way. Starting from Mendoza it first flew south and then west to reach Chile via the Planchon Pass.

It was supposed to fly west for about 11 minutes and when it reached Curico go north again to Santiago. However only 3 minutes over the Planchon Pass the pilots went north again, steering the plane right into the Andean mountains. Clouds prevented them from seeing they had turned north too early.

When the plane descended under the clouds they saw they were in the middle of the mountain range. The pilots immediately tried to regain altitude but couldn't prevent the plane clipping a mountain with its tail and right-wing.

The plane broke in two parts; the front part landed in a gulley and slid down the mountain. Miraculously, it stopped before hitting anything else. Twelve people died on impact, many more were seriously injured.

Answer: Rugby

Most passengers were members of the 'Old Christians' rugby team. Some were accompanied by family members. The fact that most passengers were young and athletic is a contributing factor to the survival of some of them.

Answer: They were buried by an avalanche

The avalanche happened at night and buried the fuselage where the survivors were sleeping. Eight of them died of asphyxiation.

Ironically their death helped the survivors. It provided them with more food. (They had turned to cannibalism due to the total absence of any other food source). The fuselage was now covered with snow what provided a better shelter against the elements.

It is estimated that annually about 250,000 avalanches occur in the Andes.

Answer: Gustavo Zerbino

Everybody realised they weren't going to be rescued and that it was vital to look for a way out themselves. Nando Parrado was raring to go but the others were more reluctant. Eventually a party of three was assembled to try to climb to the mountain to the west and look for help. Parrado, Canessa and Vizintin were chosen because they were the fittest.

They thought they could climb the mountain in one day but it took them three days. Once up there they realised they didn't have enough provisions. Vizintin went back to the fuselage so the two others could share his provisions.

Answer: False

They thought the plane had crashed in Chile, in the western part of the Andes, and not too far away from the inhabited world. Their assumption was based on what the co-pilot had said before he died of his injuries. He was sure they had already passed Curico in Chile.

The opposite was true: they had crashed on Argentine soil, in the eastern part of the Andes. There was a hotel 30 km (18 mi) east of the crash site. Based on false information the rescue party chose to go west.

Parrado and Canessa hiked for ten days through the Andes before they saw a man on horseback who gave them some bread and cheese. They were very lucky they had met him since it was another 10 hours on horseback to reach the nearest village.

After Parrado and Canessa were rescued helicopters were sent to pick up the others who were still at the crash site.

Answer: He wanted to see his father again

Nando Parrado's mother and sister were also on the plane. His mother was killed on the spot and his sister later died in his arms because of her injuries. The thought of being reunited with his father kept him going.

Answer: 16

Twelve people died immediately when the plane crashed. Nine died later from their injuries. Eight more died in the avalanche. Sixteen survived and have held an annual reunion ever since.

Answer: 72 days

The plane crashed on 13 October 1972. Parrado and Canessa were rescued on 21 December 1972. Six more survivors were rescued on 22 December, the last eight on 23 December.