History special recalls Andes crash horror

Set to air Oct. 20, the program is about how a charter plane carrying 45 rugby team members crashed in the remote Andes Mountains on Oct. 13, 1972.
For 72 days, while the world thought they were dead, 16 survivors were driven to eat their dead friends and teammates in their struggle for life, an act which would ultimately spark worldwide headlines.

"I Am Alive' will immerse viewers into this tragic story through incredible live-action recreations of the snowbound crash site including a meticulous reconstruction of the wrecked plane fuselage that served as the survivors' only refuge, as well as never-before-seen transcripts of the doomed flight," the network said in a news release. "In addition, new, high-resolution imagery of photos shot by the survivors throughout their ordeal, and rarely seen footage of the crash site and rescue will enhance the first-person narration, while blended CGI/live-action sequences provide a visceral and terrifying experience of the crash itself, and the amazing struggle for survival that followed."

Parrado is the bestselling author of "Miracle in the Andes." He lost his mother and sister in the crash, but went on to help lead its small band of survivors. Several other survivors also appear in the special to lend their unique perspectives on the tragedy, History said.

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