This one is controversial!Would you eat another human being in order to survive?

Well, yes, it's certainly a horrible subject to be thinking about. In relation to the plane crash, they were stuck up in that mountain and no search party was seeking them out, they were totally left on their own. I don't think they had the option of looking for alternative food. Some of the were really religious too and they had a fierce debate about the whole idea and the consequences of doing something like that. For me personally, I'm thinking that I would probably eat another human being if I was in that situation, there's nothing nice or glamarous about it but if it was the only way to survive then I would grind my teeth and get on with it. That film was truly remarkable, more so by the very fact that it was a true story. God forbid we are every placed in that situation. Andrew

You say you won't now because you are not in the position they were.It's like saying you will never physically hurt someone but what if you were brutally attacked by someone?Will you run or fight back?Good that you are making people think more about reality and controversy.
P.S.I heard human flesh tastes like pork.(symbolic?)

There were search parties looking for them and the action taken was only considered when they were able to hear by radio that the active searches had been called off.

cannibal do eat human flesh they eat they own human it is so gross yuck

Human meats could taste good more than any animal meats.Due to the kinds of food we take.Animals eat spoiled foods.Human eats cooked and well prepared foods

That's very true. If these options were available then they should definitely be considered. However, the group of people involved in that plane crash had no options available to them. They were left on their own. The mountain climate was devastating, cold and inhabitable. When they first started chatting about the whole idea you could see the look of distaste on group members faces. It came to a point though of eat and you live, don't eat, you die! I know it's really sick but without being too graphic, when they made the choice to do this they were able to gain enough energy to walk away from the crash site on the mountain and seek help. They fought hard in order to survive and they won through. Andrew

oppss... i meant "crash" not crush. hahaha.

Well, it's cetainly a horrible experience to have to go through. In a situation like that I don't think anyone knows what they would do until they actually experienced this situation for themselves. The fact that this has already happened in real life in relation to that plane crash it shows you the lengths humans will go to in order to survive. It's not something to take lightly and I only think that it would be appropriate in a situation like that, a matter of life or death. Andrew

There are many things far worse than death. I'm not afraid to physically die. but spiritually? THAT is the worst death there is.

Maggiepie
IMPEACH HIM.

I am a chilean and I can tell you that there was NO FOOD where they ctrashed. It was the top of a mountain in the middle of the Andes. The was only snow. Nothing can survive there. Even the snow does not replace water as it doesn´t have the minerals the human beings need.
Planes and search parties went to look for them. Their parents came from Uruguay to help as they were rich people. In our country (that lies on the side of the Andes) we have wonderful search teams among our military men. Everything was done.
I call their survival a miracle.

The environment in which the plane crashed was extremely hostile and there was no food available. They would have had to do something in order to survive, the whole mountain was covered in snow and I'm guessing that conditions would have been very extreme. I don't know how I would react if I was placed in that situation but I'm thinking that I probably would have taken the same course of action. Andrew

It would be a very difficult situation to be in. I hope and pray that nothing of that sort would put me in their shoes.

This is definitely a hard situation to have to face. I think that it would be hard to establish whether the victim had a disease or not but I know that if I were placed in that situation then I would have to eat regardless. I could visit a hospital later on and receive any neccessary treatment, it would be very important to just get off that mountain. Andrew

"No choice in the matter?" There is always a choice. One may choose between the salvation of one's body, & salvation of one's soul. I choose the latter.

Maggiepie
IMPEACH HIM.

Yes, I've heard of certain tribes that still tend to practise cannibalism in today's modern age and to them it is perfectly acceptable. My stomach does churn a little at the very idea of feasting upon a human being, not nice at all! As a matter of life or death though, this changes things and as the suvivors on the Andes mountain mentioned, "We will never be the same after having done this!" Andrew

I remember the first time that I saw the film and it was nothing but shock and horror on my part! I think that there were warnings given at the beginning of the film that there would be some graphic content involved. I'm quite a sensitive person and I have no shame in admitting that I did shed a few tears on the night that I watched the movie. Let's hope that none of us have to face a situation like that. Andrew

The film was actually a very good representation of the book which was based on speaking to both the survivors and their relatives. Some said they could never do it but the practicality of them becoming too weak to even melt snow to drink forced them to do it though it was harrowing on their consciences. If they hadn't done so they would all have died as the searches were not due to resume again until better weather. If the dead had not already been there I don't think that they would ever have resorted to killing to obtain the same end as they all had a strong sense of ethics.
They were not critiscised later within their own country for doing what they did, even the relatives of the dead understood the reasons.

Hello marguicha, it's a real honour to have someone like yourself contribute to this discussion as you witnessed the real news story at the time. I'm just so amazed at what took place high up on that mountain. I sometimes wonder how the survivors got on with their lives in the aftermath of this truly horrific event. Anyway, I have the movie and I treasure it, it's a real tear jerker and I did shed a few tears myself when I watched it for the first time. Thanks for your contribution. Andrew

That makes sense! I guess we don't know how we would react until we are placed in a situation like that. The majority of the group were God fearing and had religious beliefs. However, their debate was quite fearce regarding the consequences of such a horrendus course of action. I hope that I'm never placed in a situation like that. Andrew

Dear Green feathers,when I am confused over this discussion and unable to find a suitable answer I just stumbled upon your response.Thanks you for voicing whatever I wanted to tell.

Well, as gross as it is members of the group did the right thing by burying the bodies on their front underneath the snow. They then slowly removed the snow in a small area so you didn't realise what you were looking at and then they started to remove the meat with something sharp. The meat was slightly frozen and they stuffed snow in their mouths as well to get rid of the taste as it were, sorry for being so graphic. In the end though they survived and this is all that matters I suppose. Andrew