Based on a true story, the Netflix film “Society of the Snow” debuted on Thursday, January 4. It describes how the rugby team from Uruguay and its fans managed to survive in the Andes mountains for several months following the downing of their jet. Pablo Vierci, a journalist from Uruguay, wrote a book of the same name, which served as the basis for the movie. Along with Dr. Roberto Canessa, one of the survivors, he co-wrote a book on the incident called “I Had to Survive: How a Plane Crash in the Andes Inspired My Calling to Save Lives.” This is the true account of what happened in this occurrence.
The Crash Showed in Society of the Snow
Flight 571 of the Uruguayan Air Force took off from Montevideo, Uruguay on October 12, 1972, with 45 passengers and 5 crew members on board. The passengers, together with their friends and family, were ardent players for the Old Christians Club rugby team. They were traveling to an exhibition match in Santiago, Chile.
The plane had to land in Mendoza, Argentina, and spend the night there due to poor weather. Using a fresh charter program that would allow it to avoid the core of the Andes and complete its voyage over lower mountain passes, the aircraft took off again for Santiago the next day, on October 13. But an hour or so into the trip, the pilot misjudged where he was and, with air traffic control’s permission, started to descend before crossing the Andes. The jet lost both of its wings and its tail when it crashed into a mountain because it was unable to pass the ridgeline. Subsequently, the aircraft descended beneath the mountain at an approximate depth of 11,500 feet and touched down in the valley.
1972 Andes airplan Crash Surviving Passengers
12 people died in the first disaster, and many of the thirty-three passengers who survived suffered injuries. There are currently 27 people alive, five more individuals perished during the first night, and one more person passed away from injuries almost a week later. The survivors used the fuselage of the plane to build shelters, discovered some food and drink among the supplies, rationed it, and braved the bitter cold of the night, which lasted for almost a week.
They thought they might be rescued at any time. Rather than taking advantage of Beoña’s shocking value, the Society of the Snow emphasizes her “generosity” and presents it as an act of charity. The BBC was informed by him that the story is horrifying but never overly dramatic. In contrast, that is not how we approach the story. The human elements, companionship, and their incredibly selfless behavior towards one another are at its core.”
Another tragedy occurred on October 29, when the plane’s fuselage was buried in snow due to two separate avalanches, while the group was waiting for the snow to melt in the spring. Eight more individuals died as a result of this, leaving the remaining three stranded inside. The only food available to the survivors was from the bodies buried all around them. 19 individuals eventually made it out of the plane’s fuselage, but they were forced to return inside for the following three days due to a snowstorm. As soon as they could get outside, they started looking for a route out of the mountains. Three more people died in the next month, leaving only sixteen people alive.
The survivors rescued
Netflix’s new film “Society of the Snow” shows the true story of Three group members, Canessa, Fernando “Nando” Parrado (played by Agustin Paradelo), and Antonio “Tintin” Vizintin (played by Agustin Delacorte), set out to climb the mountains and reach civilization in Chile as the temperatures continued to increase. The three of them traveled for three days until they arrived at the top of their valley when they discovered the mountains were considerably deeper than they had thought. Vizintin made his way back to the camp with additional food rations for Canessa and Parrado. Equipped with a makeshift sleeping bag, the two persevered through the bitter cold of the night.
Following an exhausting ten days of travel, Canessa and Parrado came across a guy riding a horse who, after a day of waiting, was able to notify authorities that survivors were still in need of rescue. Recalling with joy that he was at last safe, Canessa says that he buried the remains that had been carried with them for food on the journey. “This should be buried,” he declared after witnessing the rugby mozos loaded to the brim with the flesh of his companions. This is no longer food. We’ll have genuine food now. I therefore buried their remains.”
On December 22, the rescue helicopter arrived at the crash scene; however, poor weather prevented the airlifting of all 14 survivors, leaving only six of them. The following day, the remaining eight were lifted. Canessa sought a profession in medicine after leaving the highlands and rose to prominence as a pediatric cardiology specialist. “I had even reached my dreams of saving my friends,” he declares. For seventy-two days, I felt like I carried an elephant on my shoulders. The elephant then turned to leave.” Thus, I had to return. I found it difficult to go back to school and pursue a career in medicine.”
Society of the Snow Official Trailer by Netflix
