Witness to the 1972 Andean plane crash tells how they survived cannibalism (photos)

Already on the anniversary of his rescue, Jose Luis “CocheInciarte was said to have been one of 16 first survivors aboard the unfortunate Uruguayan airliner, now known as the “Miracle of the Andes,” which crashed into the mountains between Chile and Argentina on October 13, 1972.

When the plane crashed 12 passengers lost their lives immediately. Five others died within hours. Another person died a week later and an avalanche killed eight other people after 17 days.

Survivors had no choice but to eat the flesh of the dead to resist, Coche said, adding that the initial decision to do so required energy and a strong mind.. ”

But he adds that horror “He no longer lives with me”.

“No, that story no longer lives with me.” shows Coche. “I live my life as I imagined it then. “I have problems when I think of the Andes but it is no longer part of my life.”

“There was no other option if you wanted to stay alive. We gathered among ourselves and discussed whether to do it or not. “If we did not, it would seem like dying, so we all decided to eat.” he says.

Reproduction of horror in the film ‘Alive ‘ is more or less accurate, the witness points out, though the directors have added some embellishments.

“Some things are invented, but most are true.” he says. “The film is technically well produced, except for the fact that we have never fallen into a snow pit, and the part where the actor who plays my role plays the guitar, I have never played the guitar.”

As they remained stranded on the mountain, Coche, now the only survivor, was engulfed in despair when, 72 days later, he was found by a shepherd, who alerted Chilean authorities.

The last two survivors had climbed to a 4,650-meter high peak without mountaineering equipment and then walked towards Chile for ten days traveling 61 km. On December 23, 1972, two months after the accident, only the last of the 16 survivors survived.

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