I can't even begin to imagine what these people went through.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/andes-plane-crash-survivors-recount-resorting-cannibalism-50-years-later

All 16 survivors of the 1972 Andes plane crash have reunited for the 50th anniversary, according to a report.

Uruguayan Flight 571 was set to take a team of amateur rugby players and their supporters to Chile. Instead, it crashed and stranded survivors for 72 days in the cordillera, forcing them to eat human flesh to stay alive.

"Of course, the idea of eating human flesh was terrible, repugnant," Ramon Sabella, 70, told The Sunday Times in London. "It was hard to put in your mouth. But we got used to it."

Sabella recalled the choice survivors made when Roberto Canessa, a medical student, suggested they eat the bodies of the deceased in order for the rest of them to survive, The Daily Mail reported.

"(Carlos) Paez said there was no other option for the young survivors, noting for the morbidly curious that human meat 'doesn't taste of anything, really.'" the report states.

Paez added it was the survivors' duty to travel the world and share their story.  

Forty-five passengers were on the ill-fated plane on Oct. 13, 1972. Authorities said during the flight, the pilot veered off course in a dense fog before crashing into the snowy Andes mountains.

Twelve passengers were killed in the crash. Seventeen others died from injuries and suffocation from an avalanche that occurred days later.

Desperate after more than two months in the frigid peaks, Canessa and Fernando Parrado left the crash site to seek help. It was the group's last attempt at survival.

After 10 days of trekking, they spotted Sergio Catalan, a livestock herder in the foothills of the Chilean Andes. The conditions were such that the pair couldn't get too close to Catalan, but from afar, they heard him say one word: "Tomorrow."

"With that (word), our suffering ended," Canessa said.

IIRC from reading the book 30 years ago it was t like they were having barbecue parties, they would do things like wrapping bits of meat with snow and such to disguise what it was and they treated the corpses with as much respect as they could, given the situation.  It was a thought situation and I think they survived with their dignity intact.

They absolutely have their dignity.  Anyone would do the same to survive.

Many people resort to cannibalism too late for it to do any good. They've already reached the point of no return due to social mores.

Food for thought.

The movie touched on that as well.
They would also walk off and eat alone so no one could see them do it.
Horrible situation.

That's... a lot to digest.

Do what you gotta do to stay alive. Much respect.

Add some seasoning and it would probably taste better.

Can’t imagine what an awful situation that was.

Absolutely.

I read the book about ten years ago when I found it at a thrift store for 50 cents. I had knowledge of the event prior to finding the book and it was a humbling read for sure.

Spinal column lower right

Cheese. . .

Andes plane crash survivors recount resorting to cannibalism 50 years later

What did they survive on for the first fifty years?

Backstraps

I remember watching a documentary that featured interviews from the survivors--coming from a region under heavy Catholic influence came in handy.

Hard to cast stones at those survivors if you are taking the body of Christ on Sunday.

Read two books about it. One was really good. The other was written by a survivor who was butt hurt because the first book said he was lazy and whiny.

The movie, Alive, was good, too.

I read the one by Piers Paul Read, it was good.  Was the one by the survivor any good?

The Donner pass now has a picnic table.

Pretty sure the avarage fatass today could go 72 days without food.

A few years ago National Geographic did a story where 2 experienced climbers went to the crash scene and recreated the 10 day hike out. Said it was not possible to believe those 2 could have done it in their condition, but they did. I still have that issue and occasionally reread it.

I couldn't help but remember the scene from Fresh Prince where Will and Carlton are stuck on the mountain.  Carlton says, "Will, I want you to eat me."
"What?"
"If I die first.  I hear the buttocks has the most meat."
"Oh, god, I hope I die first!"