ALIVE

12TH OCTOBER 1972. A RUGBY TEAM OF AMATEUR PLAYERS, THEIR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES FROM URUGUAY, SOUTH AMERICA, LEAVE FOR ARGENTINA BY AN AIR FORCE PLANE. THE PLANE CRASHES AT A HIGH ALTITUDE WHILE CROSSING THE ANDES. FROM THE 45 PASSENGERS AND CREW, 13 DIE ON THE SPOT. FROM THE 32 SURVIVORS, SOME GET SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE PLACE GETS COVERED WITH THICK SNOW. THERE IS NO VEGETATION, NO FOOD OR WATER EXCEPT FOR SOME CHOCOLATES AND A LITTLE WINE FROM LEFT OVERS OF THE PLANE. EFFORTS TO LOCATE THE PLANE FROM THE AIR AND FROM THE GROUND ARE UNSUCCESSFUL. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS MADE BY THE SURVIVORS TO FIND A ROUTE TO CIVILIZATION ALSO FAIL - TILL THE LAST ONE. THEY ARE TRAPPED FOR 72 DAYS DURING WHICH PERIOD 16 MORE OF THEM DIE LEAVING ONLY 16 ALIVE. HOW DID THEY SURVIVE FOR 72 DAYS ? HOW DID THEY BEHAVE ? HOW WERE THEY RESCUED IN THE END ? WHAT DID THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH AFTER THEY WERE RESCUED ? THIS IS A STORY OF CATASTROPHE, HUMAN ENDURANCE AND A STUDY IN HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY.