In October 1972, a plane carrying 45 passengers—including a Uruguayan college rugby team—crashed into the snowbound Andes. For 72 days, the world believed they were dead.
Trailer for “I Am Alive: Surviving the Andes Plane Crash”
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- After hearing on a radio that the search had been called off, the survivors chose to eat the bodies of friends who had died—comparing it to taking communion.
- Two survivors, Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa, hiked for 10 days across the Andes with no mountaineering gear—eventually finding help in Chile.
- When rescuers finally arrived, the world learned that 16 people had survived for more than two months in what seemed like certain death.
Watch “I Am Alive: Surviving the Andes Plane Crash”
You can watch “I Am Alive: Surviving the Andes Plane Crash” on Prime Video.
Find current streaming options at JustWatch.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 90/100
- IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 94/100 (Users), not yet rated (Critics)
Director’s Note: Directed by Brad Osborne, who also wrote the documentary. His approach blends re-enactments with survivor accounts to maintain emotional intensity without losing factual detail.
Release Date: 2010
My Review of “I Am Alive: Surviving the Andes Plane Crash”
The Setup
The crash site sat at 11,800 feet—far above the snow line, surrounded by sheer mountains.
Rescuers searched for over a week before declaring everyone dead. Inside the shattered fuselage, survivors battled freezing nights, blinding sun glare off the snow, and starvation.
When two avalanches struck, more lives were lost. The survivors realized they were alone—and had to decide whether they could do the unthinkable to keep living.
More Highlights from the Doc
- Dramatizations show the violent crash sequence and the eerie quiet after impact.
- Survivor interviews explain how they rationed small amounts of chocolate, wine, and even toothpaste before turning to human flesh.
- The avalanches were as deadly as the crash itself—burying sleeping survivors in snow inside the fuselage.
- Parrado’s account of seeing green valleys after days of snow is one of the documentary’s most emotional turning points.
- The rescue sparked global debates about survival ethics and what people are capable of when no other options exist.
Wrap Up
One of the most intense survival docs ever made—equal parts horror, hope, and human resilience. The Andes crash survivors lived through the unthinkable and redefined what it means to fight for life.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc