A survivor of an infamous plane crash has explained how he and others had to eat the bodies of their friends before they were dramatically rescued after 72 days in freezing mountain temperatures. Forty-five people boarded Uruguayan Flight 571 on October 13, 1972, which was headed for Chile and included among its passengers a team of amateur rugby players and their supporters.
However, shortly an hour after take-off, the plane was immersed in dense fog and crashed into the snowy Andes mountains below. Twelve people were killed in the crash and 17 more died in the days that followed either as a result of their injuries or by avalanche suffocation. You can get the latest WalesOnline newsletters e-mailed to you directly for free by signing up here.
The battle to stay alive for the survivors was only just beginning. Lack of food and water together with freezing temperatures meant they were in a perilous position, with not much hope of ever being rescued after an onboard radio confirmed that an initial search had been called off, with authorities assuming that everyone had perished in the tragedy.
