Explore the real-world places that appear in Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors by Piers Paul Read. Each location on the map shows what happens there in the novel, the real history of the place, and what's there today. Featured locations include Maiquetía International Airport, Pudahuel Airport, Crash Site, Mount San Fernando, Los Maitenes Valley, Montevideo Airport and 10 more.
Caracas, Venezuela — Departure point
Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 departs from Caracas, Venezuela on October 12, 1972, carrying 45 passengers and crew members, including the Old Christians rugby team. The plane is heading to Santiago, Chile for a match. The flight is scheduled and routine, with no indication of the catastrophe to come. Many of the young men board with excitement and anticipation for the rugby championship ahead.
Maiquetía International Airport, now known as Aeropuerto Internacional Arturo Michelena, has served as Venezuela's primary international hub since 1945. It was a major aviation center during the 1970s for South American travel and connections.
Maiquetía International Airport remains Venezuela's busiest international airport, though it has faced modernization challenges. The facility continues to serve as a major transit point for South American and Caribbean air travel.
Visit: Aeropuerto Internacional Arturo Michelena (landmark)
Santiago, Chile — Intended destination
Santiago's Pudahuel Airport is the intended destination of Flight 571. The plane never arrives. Instead, it crashes in the Andes mountains during an attempt to cross from Argentina into Chilean airspace. The airport awaits a landing that will never come, as search and rescue operations begin when the plane fails to arrive.
Pudahuel Airport opened in 1941 as Santiago's primary international airport. By 1972, it was a modern facility handling significant South American traffic. The airport was renamed Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez in 1988.
Now known as Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, it remains one of South America's busiest aviation hubs. The airport has been significantly modernized with new terminals and facilities.
Visit: Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (landmark)
Andes Mountains, Chile-Argentina border — The fuselage
On October 13, 1972, Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crashes into the side of Mount San Fernando at 3:34 p.m. The fuselage comes to rest at 11,500 feet elevation, with the tail section separated miles away. Thirty-three people survive the initial impact, including Nando Parrado, Roberto Canessa, and Gustavo Zerbino. Over the next seventy-two days, the survivors endure extreme cold, starvation, and desperation. They consume the bodies of the deceased to survive—a moral choice that haunts them forever. The fuselage becomes both their grave and their shelter, providing partial protection from winds that reach hurricane force.
The Andes mountains form the longest continental mountain range in the world, dividing Chile and Argentina. The region where Flight 571 crashed is remote and inaccessible, with peaks reaching over 13,000 feet. Heavy snow and treacherous terrain made rescue efforts nearly impossible during the southern spring of 1972.
The crash site remains a remote location in the high Andes, marked by a monument dedicated to the victims and survivors. The site is occasionally visited by mountaineers and pilgrims, though the harsh conditions and altitude make access difficult. The wreckage has been largely removed, but the memorial stands as a testament to human resilience.
Chile, Andes foothills — Rescue location
On December 22, 1972, Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa, after ten days of trekking through the mountains, descend into the Los Maitenes valley. They encounter Sergio Catalan, a Chilean peasant on horseback who initially thinks they are bandits. Catalan alerts authorities about two strange, emaciated men stumbling out of the wilderness. Within hours, the Chilean military launches a massive rescue operation. The first survivors are airlifted from the crash site on December 23. The valley becomes the final link between the survivors' hell and salvation.
Los Maitenes is a small settlement in the foothills of the Andes in central Chile. In 1972, it was a remote ranching area with limited infrastructure. The valley provided the crucial access point for rescue teams to reach the disaster site.
Los Maitenes remains a small rural community in the foothills. A modest monument honors Sergio Catalan and the rescue that began here. The location has become a pilgrimage site for those interested in the Andes disaster.
Visit: Los Maitenes Memorial (historic site)
Carrasco, Uruguay — Survivors' return
Sixteen survivors are airlifted from the Andes and brought to Montevideo, landing at Carrasco Airport on December 23, 1972. The survivors emerge from the aircraft to a jubilant crowd, emotional reunions with family members, and intense media attention. The Uruguayan nation erupts in celebration—these young men, presumed dead for seventy-two days, have miraculously returned. The airport scene is one of the most powerful moments in the book, as mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers embrace their lost sons and brothers. Medical teams begin assessing the survivors' physical and psychological condition.
Carrasco Airport, officially Aeropuerto de Carrasco (now Aeropuerto Internacional de Carrasco), has been Montevideo's primary airport since 1947. It was a modern facility by 1972 standards and served as the symbolic gateway for Uruguay's most famous disaster and miraculous survival.
The airport is now known as Ministro Pistarini International Airport (Aeropuerto de Carrasco). It continues to serve as Uruguay's main international airport and a hub for South American aviation. A plaque commemorates the return of the Andes survivors.
Visit: Aeropuerto de Carrasco (landmark)
Santiago, Chile — Trekking route landmark
During their desperate trek to find rescue, Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa navigate using the Mapocho River as a guide. Following watercourses downward is their survival strategy in the vast, featureless Andes. The river becomes their compass, leading them toward civilization and rescue. As they descend toward the valley, the river valley provides both direction and psychological anchor—they know flowing water leads to people, to help, to life.
The Mapocho River flows through Santiago and has been central to the city's development since indigenous times. In the Andes headwaters, the river was crucial to the terrain that the survivors had to navigate.
The Mapocho River still flows through Santiago and the Andes foothills. In the city, it is partially channelized and serves as a parks and recreation corridor. The upper reaches remain remote and wild.
Visit: Parque de los Reyes, Mapocho River (park)
Santiago, Chile — Medical recovery
The survivors are brought to Chile's premier medical facility for immediate treatment. Many are severely malnourished, frostbitten, and traumatized. Doctors work to restore their physical health while psychiatrists begin assessing the profound psychological impact. The hospital becomes a place of physical recovery and healing, though the emotional wounds of cannibalism and loss remain unhealed. Reporters and well-wishers surround the hospital, eager for survivor stories and testimony.
The Chilean National Hospital (Hospital del Salvador) is one of South America's leading medical institutions, established in the 19th century. By 1972, it was equipped to handle complex medical emergencies and served as the destination for the Andes survivors.
The hospital continues as a leading academic medical center in Santiago, affiliated with the University of Chile. It remains one of the region's premier healthcare institutions.
Visit: Hospital del Salvador (landmark)
Montevideo, Uruguay — The rugby team's home
The Old Christians is a prestigious rugby club in Montevideo, and most of the crash victims and survivors are members of their first and second teams. The club had organized the expedition to Santiago for a championship match. After the survivors return, the club becomes a place of remembrance and recovery. Teammates struggle with survivor's guilt, grief over lost companions, and the moral weight of survival. The rugby pitch that should have been their destination becomes instead a place of collective mourning.
Club Old Christians is one of Uruguay's oldest and most prestigious rugby clubs, founded in the early 20th century. The club has produced some of South America's best rugby players and was known for its strong competitive tradition.
Old Christians remains an active rugby club in Montevideo with a strong membership and competitive program. A memorial dedicated to the 1972 crash and the survivors is maintained at the club grounds.
Visit: Club Old Christians (historic site)
Montevideo, Uruguay — Family survival
Nando Parrado's mother, Eugenia, and sister Susy are killed in the crash. Nando is devastated by their deaths throughout the seventy-two day ordeal. His father survives the crash but dies shortly after from a heart attack upon learning of his wife's death. When Nando returns to Montevideo, he must process the loss of his entire family while rebuilding his life. His home becomes a place where survivor's guilt mingles with grief—he survived while his family perished.
Nando Parrado was born into a prominent Montevideo family. His home represented stability and family connection before the tragedy forever altered his life's trajectory.
Nando Parrado became a successful businessman and author after the crash. He has lived in Montevideo and later in other cities, writing and speaking about the experience. His home life rebuilt after the tragedy, though the loss never fully heals.
Montevideo, Uruguay — Medical student's return
Roberto Canessa, a medical student, was one of the two survivors who trekked out of the Andes. His medical knowledge helped him survive and assisted other survivors at the fuselage. Upon return to Montevideo, Canessa continued his medical education, becoming a cardiologist. His home represents the possibility of moving forward and rebuilding a life marked by the crash. His mother and sister grieved the loss of his father, who was not on the flight.
Roberto Canessa came from a middle-class Montevideo family. His pursuit of medicine was interrupted by the tragedy but ultimately resumed with even greater determination.
Dr. Roberto Canessa became a renowned cardiologist and author. He has spent decades teaching, writing, and speaking about the crash and survival. He continues to live and work in Uruguay, carrying forward the legacy of the tragedy.
Andes Mountains, Chile-Argentina border — Trekking milestone
Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa, during their ten-day trek to find rescue, reach a high peak that provides a view westward toward Chile. The vista of the Chilean valley below gives them hope and direction. For ten days they have climbed and descended, moving slowly across the barren, snow-covered terrain. At this moment, they realize rescue may be possible—civilization exists on the other side of the mountains.
The Andes peaks surrounding the crash site are among the most severe terrain in South America. The combination of extreme altitude, perpetual snow, and complete isolation made rescue nearly impossible for weeks. Only the crash site at 11,500 feet and the survivors' extraordinary determination made rescue ultimately possible.
The region remains one of the most remote and inhospitable areas in the Andes. Mountaineers occasionally attempt expeditions in the region, but the terrain remains treacherous and unforgiving.
Los Maitenes, Chile — Memorial to the dead
A monument is erected at Los Maitenes to commemorate the forty-five people who died in the crash and the sixteen who survived. The monument stands as a permanent memorial to the disaster and the miraculous rescue. Survivors and families make pilgrimages to the site to remember those lost in the mountains. The monument bears the names of all those aboard Flight 571.
The monument was erected in the months following the rescue as a permanent memorial to the tragedy. It became one of South America's most significant disaster memorials, drawing visitors from around the world.
The Andes Survivors Monument stands at Los Maitenes as a major pilgrimage site. Every year, survivors, family members, and interested visitors travel to the site to remember the tragedy and celebrate the resilience of those who survived.
Visit: Andes Survivors Monument (monument)
Montevideo, Uruguay — Official investigation
The Uruguayan Air Force launches an official investigation into the crash of Flight 571. Military officials coordinate search and rescue efforts and later conduct interviews with survivors. The headquarters becomes the center of official response, documentation, and the management of the disaster's aftermath. Military authorities must grapple with the reality that one of their aircraft has crashed and with the unprecedented survival of sixteen passengers.
The Uruguayan Air Force, founded in 1913, is one of South America's oldest military aviation services. In 1972, the force was responsible for Flight 571, a routine military transport mission that became one of aviation's most famous disasters.
The Uruguayan Air Force remains an active military branch. The 1972 crash remains part of its institutional history and memory, though day-to-day operations continue at Montevideo facilities.
Montevideo, Uruguay — National mourning and celebration
The National Stadium hosts a ceremony welcoming home the survivors of Flight 571. The entire nation of Uruguay gathers to celebrate the miraculous return and to mourn those lost. The stadium becomes a place where collective grief and joy merge—families embrace survivors while the nation processes the loss of forty-five people. The ceremony marks a turning point from hope for rescue to the reality of survival and loss.
The National Stadium of Uruguay, inaugurated in 1930, is one of South America's premier sports facilities. It has hosted international matches and major national events. The 1972 survivor welcome was one of its most historically significant gatherings.
The National Stadium remains Uruguay's primary sports venue, hosting football (soccer) matches and other events. It continues as a symbol of national pride and Uruguayan sporting tradition.
Visit: Estadio Centenario (landmark)
Andes Mountains, Chile-Argentina border — Westward descent
During their trek, Nando and Roberto pass Pico Desaguadero, moving westward and downward toward the Chilean valleys. The descent becomes increasingly difficult as the terrain remains treacherous and snow-covered. They follow the logic of flowing water and gravity, knowing that downward leads to people. The mountain pass represents the boundary between hope and despair—reaching it means the end is near, but survival is far from assured.
Pico Desaguadero is one of many peaks in the high Andes along the Chile-Argentina border. The region is characterized by extreme elevation changes, perpetual snow, and geological instability. It is one of the most inhospitable regions in South America.
The region remains remote and rarely visited except by mountaineers and expedition teams. The terrain has not changed significantly since 1972, remaining one of the world's most challenging mountain environments.
More by Piers Paul Read: All Piers Paul Read books
Other nearby maps: The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende locations map