Alayna

Okay. Despite their enthusiasm, there were some problems right away. The cost of charting the small Fairchild FH-227D plane from the Uruguayan Air Force was approximately $1,600, which now is $12,000.

Okay. Despite their enthusiasm, there were some problems right away. The cost of charting the small Fairchild FH-227D plane from the Uruguayan Air Force was approximately $1,600, which now is $12,000.

Yeah. So in order to afford it, they were going to have to fill all 40 seats. Now, they only had 19 people on their team.

Yeah. So in order to afford it, they were going to have to fill all 40 seats. Now, they only had 19 people on their team.

So that's a problem.

So that's a problem.

So they were faced with the very real possibility of having to cancel this trip. And so the members of the team started reaching out to friends, family, anyone they thought might be interested in taking a trip to Chile.

So they were faced with the very real possibility of having to cancel this trip. And so the members of the team started reaching out to friends, family, anyone they thought might be interested in taking a trip to Chile.

By the time the day of the flight had arrived, they had assembled a group of 40 passengers, which were including family members of the team, several students interested in visiting Chile, and one woman who was traveling to attend her daughter's wedding.

By the time the day of the flight had arrived, they had assembled a group of 40 passengers, which were including family members of the team, several students interested in visiting Chile, and one woman who was traveling to attend her daughter's wedding.

Now, around 6 a.m. on October 12, 1972, the passengers started arriving at the Carrasco Airport to board the plane. Everyone was super, like, light. The mood was light, you know. Everyone's just excited. It's like this is a fun little trip. But they soon encountered another problem. One person from their group, Gilberto Regulis, had not arrived.

Now, around 6 a.m. on October 12, 1972, the passengers started arriving at the Carrasco Airport to board the plane. Everyone was super, like, light. The mood was light, you know. Everyone's just excited. It's like this is a fun little trip. But they soon encountered another problem. One person from their group, Gilberto Regulis, had not arrived.

Although it was a private flight, and obviously they didn't have, like, the strictest schedule... They had been informed that the flight would need to leave as early as possible to avoid bad weather. So they were put behind by him being late. The flight was finally able to leave a little after 8 a.m., piloted by two very experienced pilots who are actually from the Uruguayan Air Force.

Although it was a private flight, and obviously they didn't have, like, the strictest schedule... They had been informed that the flight would need to leave as early as possible to avoid bad weather. So they were put behind by him being late. The flight was finally able to leave a little after 8 a.m., piloted by two very experienced pilots who are actually from the Uruguayan Air Force.

But because of the late start, the plane ran into the weather that made it impossible to pass through the Cordillera Range and into the Andes. So they had to land the plane in Mendoza, Argentina and wait till the following day because they didn't want to go through that weather. Yeah, smart. Especially going through a mountain range. Yeah, that could be wily.

But because of the late start, the plane ran into the weather that made it impossible to pass through the Cordillera Range and into the Andes. So they had to land the plane in Mendoza, Argentina and wait till the following day because they didn't want to go through that weather. Yeah, smart. Especially going through a mountain range. Yeah, that could be wily.

Now, the pilots were not just concerned about the weather, though. There was this like super strict regulation against the Uruguayan Air Force where they couldn't spend more than 24 hours on Argentinian soil.

Now, the pilots were not just concerned about the weather, though. There was this like super strict regulation against the Uruguayan Air Force where they couldn't spend more than 24 hours on Argentinian soil.

And if they did, they would get fined, like seriously fined, or they would get a more serious penalty. It's like an international incident at that point. Like it's not good. Yeah. Now, under those circumstances, the pilots told the passengers to, you know, come back to the airport by 1 p.m. We got to get out of here. But when they arrived, the pilots were nowhere to be seen.

And if they did, they would get fined, like seriously fined, or they would get a more serious penalty. It's like an international incident at that point. Like it's not good. Yeah. Now, under those circumstances, the pilots told the passengers to, you know, come back to the airport by 1 p.m. We got to get out of here. But when they arrived, the pilots were nowhere to be seen.