’72 Cannibalism In Andes Absolved?

Did survivors of ’72 plane crash in Andes who resorted to cannibalism after all agreed when still alive mirror Jesus Christ’s Last Supper sacrificing his body & blood for all mankind? A Pope thought so. 50 yrs later, Netflix movie weighs in again.

You’re undoubtedly aware of the basic facts, as Fox News recently related them: “A passenger of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571” carrying the Old Christians Club rugby team to a scheduled match in Chile “struck a remote mountain in western Argentina, shearing off both wings, splitting the plane in half & killing 3 crew members & 9 passengers on impact. Of 33 passengers who survived the initial crash 72 days later, only 16 were rescued after survivors Nando Parrado & Roberto Canessa hiked thru perilous conditions with makeshift gear for more than a week to get help.” A 1993 film “Alive” relived the horrific story, but “Society of the Snow” airing Jan. 4 was shot largely on sight during the same time of year & based largely on the insights of Canessa who witnessed much of the inhuman ordeal as a 19-yr old medical student, including the decision to use one anothers’ bodies to survive.

How many of us could have survived that bitter cold in the wilderness with “8 chocolate bars, a tin of mussels, 3 small jars of jam, a tin of almonds, a few dates, dried plums, candy & several bottles of wine”? BTW: A lone transistor radio report told them rescue efforts had been called off … “At that point, as detailed in Canessa’s autobiography” the group agreed “if they died in the harsh conditions, the others could consume their bodies to go on living.” At first, we’re told the increasingly desperate survivors were revolted by the thought … “all were Roman Catholics & some feared eternal damnation.” After word leaked out about the survivors’ cannibalism, they held a press conference & compared their actions to those of Jesus just before His passion. Pope John Paul II would later absolve them of any wrongdoing.

Davd Soul