环球英语 1233 Survival in the Andes
Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Anne Muir.
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And I’m Nick Page. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand - no matter where in the world they live.
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In October 1972, an airplane was flying from Uruguay to Chile. It was carrying 45 people. They were members of a sports team, and their supporters, including family and friends. The airplane had to fly over the high Andes mountains. But there was a strong wind and heavy clouds. The pilots could not see where they were. They tried to land, but the airplane crashed into a mountain.
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Rescuers looked for the lost airplane, and any survivors. But the airplane was white, and it was lying in white snow. It was too difficult to see. After ten days, the search was ended . The authorities thought that no one could survive the conditions on the mountains.
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However, 27 people had survived. Twelve people died in the crash. In the next few days more people died from their injuries. The survivors faced a dangerous and difficult situation. They had no hope of rescue. But they found a way to escape. Today’s Spotlight is on these survivors.
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At first, the survivors hoped to be rescued. They sheltered in the wreckage of the airplane. The weather was extremely cold, many degrees below freezing. They had no clothes or shoes for cold weather. They only had a small amount of food and drink. They melted snow to drink. And they prayed to God that they would soon be rescued.
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The survivors had a small radio. So they heard the terrible news that the search had stopped. They gave up all hope of being rescued. And they began to cry. But one boy suprised the others. He said that this was good news! It meant that they would get out on their own. One survivor remembers what Roberto Canessa said,
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‘We will die looking at the faces of each other. Or we will die walking.’
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The survivors began to plan their escape. Some made brief trips but it was too difficult. It was too cold and they were too weak from lack of food.
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This lack of food was a big problem. The survivors searched the airplane for food many times. But there was nothing. And there was nothing to eat in the snow covered mountains around them. It was too high in the mountains for plants or animals. They had to eat to survive. So they decided there was only one way. They had to eat the bodies of the people who had died. It was a terrible thing to have to do. They discussed the problem for many days. Finally they agreed to do it. This food helped them to get stronger.
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Then there was another disaster. An avalanche of snow came down the mountain. It covered the wreckage of the airplane. And it killed eight more people. Now there were just 19 people left alive. They struggled against hopelessness and despair. But they did not stop. They began to plan their escape again.
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They chose a small team to try to reach safety and get help. This group received the most food and the warmest clothes to help them get strong. They waited seven weeks for the weather to improve.
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It was 12 December 1972. Roberto Canessa, Fernando Parrado and Antonio Vizintin began the long walk. On the third day they reached the top of the mountain. But in front of them they could only see more mountains. They knew then that it would be a very long walk. There was not enough food for all of them to cross the mountains. So Vizintin returned to the wreck.
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Canessa and Parrado continued their walk through the snow. They experienced many dangers. But after six more days they arrived at the edge of a river. On the other side of the river they saw three men riding horses. Canessa and Parrado shouted to the horsemen to get help. One of the horsemen shouted, ‘Tomorrow!’ Canessa and Parrado knew at last that they would be rescued.
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The next morning, one of the horsemen went back to the river. Parrado and Canessa were still there. The horseman tied some paper to a rock and threw it across the river. Parrado wrote a note explaining about the airplane crash.
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Parrado threw the rock back. The horseman showed he understood the message. He threw some bread to the two starving men. Then, he brought their message to the authorities. That day, Parrado and Canessa were rescued.
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The next day Parrado guided rescue helicopters to the crashed airplane. The 14 survivors were filled with joy to see the rescue helicopters. But the weather was bad. The helicopters could not take all the survivors at once. So, eight survivors remained on the mountain with a rescue team. The next day these last survivors flew to safety.
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The Uruguayan airplane crashed on October 13. The last group of passengers was rescued on December 23. They had survived for 72 days.
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Were these people especially strong and brave? It is true many of them were young and strong and healthy. Many were members of a rugby sports team. The other people on the airplane were their friends and relations. When one person gave up hope another person encouraged them. Later, Fernando Parrado explained that they all knew each other and supported each other.
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‘We were a very close group ... We took turns to put up with each other’s state of mind. And rugby is a sport that teaches you to sacrifice yourself for others in the group.’
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Many of the survivors were Christians. They prayed to God and asked for his help. Carlos Paez explained how God helped:
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‘When we had no hope, God was our only hope. There was nothing else’.
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The airplane crashed forty years ago. Since then, there have been books and films about the crash. People still wonder how anyone survived such a terrible experience. And the survivors continue to share their story of faith, and courage. Many years later, Jose Luis Inciarte said,
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'Having survived a crash into a mountain was a real miracle. I see it as an experience of love, togetherness, and commitment. There, the friends that could not come back gave the most a human being can give. I am in debt to them.'
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The writer of this program was Joy Smith. The producer was Nick Mangeolles. The voices you heard were from the United Kingdom and the United States. All quotes were from interviews on the accident’s official website. They were voiced by Spotlight. You can find our programs on the internet at www.radioenglish.net. This program is called ‘Survival in the Andes’.
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We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.
