How Juliane Koepcke Survived A Plane Crash And 11 Days Alone In The Amazon
Summary
TLDROn December 24, 1971, a lightning strike led to the crash of LANSA Flight 508 in the Peruvian rainforest, with only 17-year-old Juliane Koepcke surviving the ordeal. Despite severe injuries, she navigated the jungle for 11 days, using her knowledge from a childhood spent in a similar environment. Her perseverance, resourcefulness, and a bit of luck led to her eventual rescue, a story of survival that continues to captivate and inspire.
Takeaways
- 🌩️ The LANSA Flight 508 crash on December 24, 1971, was caused by a lightning strike, which is considered the deadliest in aviation history.
- 🙏 Only one survivor, 17-year-old Juliane Koepcke, survived the crash, enduring 11 days alone in the Amazon rainforest.
- 🎓 Juliane's survival was aided by her unique upbringing in a Peruvian rainforest, which provided her with knowledge of the terrain and its inhabitants.
- 💺 Juliane was seated in a way that her seat acted as a protective cushion during the fall, possibly slowing her descent and saving her life.
- 🕒 After the crash, Juliane regained consciousness and used her watch to keep track of time, despite suffering from a concussion.
- 🤕 She suffered multiple injuries, including a broken collarbone, a deep laceration, and an infected cut, but managed to survive without immediate medical attention.
- 🌲 Using her knowledge of the rainforest, Juliane found water and rationed her only food source, a bag of candy, to endure extreme hunger.
- 🦅 She followed the sound of a king vulture to find the remains of other passengers, confirming the dire situation of the crash.
- 🚣♀️ Juliane decided to follow a nearby water source, as advised by her father, in the hope it would lead her to rescue.
- 🛶 On the 10th day, she found a boat, which boosted her morale and led her to a hut where she treated her infected wound with gasoline.
- 🛤️ Juliane was eventually discovered by local Peruvian men, who took her to a nearby town for medical treatment, marking the end of her ordeal.
Q & A
What was the date of the LANSA Flight 508 crash?
-The LANSA Flight 508 crashed on December 24, 1971.
What event is considered the deadliest lightning strike in aviation history?
-The lightning strike that caused the LANSA Flight 508 crash is considered the deadliest in aviation history.
Who was the only survivor of the LANSA Flight 508 crash?
-Juliane Koepcke was the only survivor of the LANSA Flight 508 crash.
How old was Juliane Koepcke during the plane crash?
-Juliane Koepcke was 17 years old during the plane crash.
What was the condition of Juliane Koepcke after the crash?
-Juliane Koepcke survived the crash with a broken collarbone, a deep laceration on her calf, an infected cut on her arm with maggots, a fractured shin, strained vertebra, and a torn ACL.
What did Juliane Koepcke do after regaining consciousness?
-After regaining consciousness, Juliane Koepcke crawled under her seat bench to escape the rain and regain her strength, and it took her a full day and a half before she could get up and walk.
How did Juliane Koepcke's upbringing help her in the Amazon rainforest?
-Juliane Koepcke's upbringing, with her parents being a world-renowned ornithologist and a famous zoologist, and having been raised in a similar rainforest area, helped her understand the terrain and not be overly afraid of her situation.
What was the significance of the king vulture sound Juliane heard?
-The sound of the king vulture indicated to Juliane that there was carrion or rotting flesh nearby, which led her to discover the remains of three other passengers from the crash.
How did Juliane Koepcke find food during her time in the rainforest?
-Juliane Koepcke found a bag of candy near where she landed, which she rationed carefully, eating a couple of pieces each day. After the candy was gone, she experienced extreme hunger and did not find other sources of food.
What strategy did Juliane Koepcke use to find rescuers?
-Juliane Koepcke decided to follow the water sources, starting from a small well she found, as her father had advised her that streams would lead to bigger ones and eventually to a water source for potential rescuers.
What was the turning point for Juliane Koepcke's rescue?
-The turning point for Juliane Koepcke's rescue was when she spotted a boat on the 10th day after the crash, which led her to a path and eventually to a hut where she was discovered by three Peruvian men.
Why was Film Director Werner Herzog almost on the LANSA Flight 508?
-Film Director Werner Herzog was almost on the LANSA Flight 508 due to a last-minute change in plans, which caused him to cancel his reservations.
What documentary was created about Juliane Koepcke's survival story?
-Film Director Werner Herzog created the documentary 'Wings of Hope' to tell the incredible tale of Juliane Koepcke's survival.
Outlines
⚡️ The Deadliest Lightning Strike in Aviation History
On December 24, 1971, LANSA Flight 508 from Lima to Pucallpa, Peru, was struck by lightning, leading to a crash that claimed the lives of everyone onboard except for one 17-year-old girl named Juliane Koepcke. This segment introduces the story of Juliane's survival after the crash and her 11 days alone in the Amazon rainforest. It sets the scene with her mother's concern, the storm, and the catastrophic events that followed, including Juliane being ejected from the plane while still strapped to her seat.
🌳 Alone in the Amazon
After regaining consciousness, Juliane found herself soaking wet, dirty, and partially trapped under her seat. She had multiple injuries, including a broken collarbone and infected wounds. Despite the extreme conditions and her weakened state, she managed to scout the crash site for survivors and resources, dealing with maggots in her wounds and the threat of dangerous wildlife. Her unique upbringing in the rainforest, thanks to her parents' work, played a crucial role in her survival, allowing her to navigate the jungle with less fear and more knowledge than most people would have.
🍬 The Struggle for Sustenance
Juliane relied on a small bag of candy she found near the crash site for sustenance, rationing it carefully. She attempted to follow water sources, as advised by her father, hoping they would lead her to safety. Despite severe hunger and extreme physical challenges, including traveling with one shoe and without her glasses, she pressed on. She encountered numerous obstacles, but her familiarity with the rainforest and determination to survive kept her going.
🚤 Discovery and Rescue
On the 10th day, Juliane found a boat, which she initially thought was a hallucination. She then discovered a small hut with gasoline, which she used to treat her maggot-infested wound, drawing on childhood knowledge. Eventually, three Peruvian men found her and helped her get medical treatment in a nearby town. Juliane's incredible survival story also has a twist of fate involving film director Werner Herzog, who almost boarded the ill-fated flight. Herzog later created a documentary, 'Wings of Hope,' to recount Juliane's remarkable story.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡LANSA Flight 508
💡Lightning Strike
💡Juliane Koepcke
💡Amazon Rainforest
💡Survival
💡Ornithologist
💡Zoologist
💡Concussion
💡Rescue
💡Werner Herzog
💡Maggots
Highlights
On December 24, 1971, LANSA Flight 508 was struck by lightning, leading to the deadliest lightning strike in aviation history.
Juliane Koepcke was the sole survivor of the crash, except for one 17-year-old girl who spent 11 days alone in the Amazon.
Juliane's survival story is a testament to her resilience and the role of her upbringing in the Peruvian rainforest.
During the crash, Juliane was sucked from the plane along with her seat, which may have slowed her fall and cushioned her impact.
Juliane's knowledge of the rainforest and its inhabitants, due to her parents' work as researchers, played a crucial role in her survival.
She suffered multiple injuries, including a broken collarbone, a deep laceration, and an infected cut, which she had to manage without medical help.
Juliane's resourcefulness is evident in her use of a bag of candy as her only sustenance during her time in the jungle.
Her ability to navigate the jungle and find water sources was instrumental in her survival and eventual rescue.
The discovery of a boat on the 10th day after the crash signaled hope and the possibility of rescue.
Juliane's quick thinking in using gasoline to treat her infected wound prevented a potentially life-threatening infection.
Her encounter with local Peruvian men, who initially mistook her for a ghost, led to her rescue and treatment at a local hospital.
Film Director Werner Herzog was almost on the flight but canceled his reservations, later creating a documentary inspired by Juliane's story.
Juliane's story is a unique example of survival against all odds, highlighting the importance of adaptability and resourcefulness.
Her experience in the rainforest taught her valuable lessons about life and the importance of understanding one's environment.
The story of Juliane Koepcke's survival is a reminder of the human spirit's resilience in the face of extreme adversity.
Transcripts
On December 24, 1971, LANSA 508 from Lima to Pucallpa, Peru
was struck by lightning.
Now considered the deadliest lightning strike
in aviation history, it caused a crash
that ultimately led to the demise of everyone onboard,
except for one 17-year-old girl.
Today, we're going to explain how Juliane Koepcke survived
a plane crash and 11 days alone in the Amazon.
But before we get started, be sure to subscribe
to the Weird History Channel.
And while you're at it, leave a comment
and let us know what stories of survival
you would like to hear more about.
OK, we go to the skies over Peru.
Koepcke's hazy disjointed recollections
of the flight and the crash are nothing short of pure nightmare
fuel.
It was the day after her senior prom
and just a few hours after her high school graduation
ceremony.
She was flying with her mother between Pucallpa and Lima
so they could celebrate with her father.
Along the way, the plane encountered a storm.
The sky became pitch black all around them.
And lightning was constantly flashing outside the windows.
While her mother was concerned, Juliane, who loved to fly,
didn't think much of it.
Suddenly, there was a bright light on the wing.
And her mother said, now, it's over.
The engine roared.
People screamed.
The plane plunged sharply towards the ground
and began to break apart.
Juliane's mother was thrown from her seat.
Finally, Juliane, along with her seat bench,
was sucked from the fuselage and out into the sky.
Koepcke says she felt a calming wind
as she plummeted toward the thick forest canopy, which
she later recalled as resembling green cauliflower or broccoli.
Her seat, which she was still belted to,
rotated like a helicopter blade.
She suspects this may have played a role in slowing
her descent and that the seat itself
must have cushioned her fall.
Yeah, think about that the next time a flight attendant
reminds you to buckle up.
Juliane blacked out before impact.
And due to a concussion, she retains no memory
of the next 20 hours or so.
She suspects she must have awakened during this period
and removed her seat belt because it was off
by the time she fully regained consciousness.
It was 9:00 AM the morning after the crash.
In fact, she could tell thanks to her watch,
which at this point was still functioning.
It was also pouring rain.
Koepcke was soaking wet, dirty, and partially
underneath her seat bench.
She crawled fully under to escape the rain while she
regained her strength.
According to Koepcke, I couldn't really feel anything.
It was like being wrapped in cotton balls.
With a lot of effort, I could only get up on my knees.
And then everything turned black again.
It would be a full day and a half
before she was able to get up and walk.
Juliane could tell her collarbone was badly broken.
It was a sharp break that was overlapping beneath her skin
but luckily had not punctured through.
She also had a deep laceration on her calf.
But because she was in shock, it wasn't bleeding too much.
Another cut on her arm had become infected with maggots.
She feared that this might mean the arm would eventually
have to be amputated.
But at this point, there was nothing she could do about it.
Doctors would later discover she also fractured her shin,
strained her vertebra, and tore her ACL.
Likely due to the effects of adrenaline,
she didn't feel any of those things until much later
after she had reached a hospital.
Once she felt strong enough, Juliane
forced herself to her feet.
Most people would probably be terrified to find themselves
alone and injured in the middle of a jungle teeming
with snakes, crocodiles, and all manner of poisonous flora
and fauna.
But Juliane Koepcke had a very unique childhood.
Her mother, a world-renowned ornithologist, and her father,
a famous zoologist, worked at a research station in--
would you believe it--
a Peruvian rainforest.
Yes, Juliane had been raised in a very similar area.
And her familiarity with the types of terrain
was a major factor in her survival.
It also meant she never became overly afraid of her situation.
Koepcke herself mused, I learned a lot about life
in the rainforest.
And it wasn't too dangerous.
It's not the green hell that the world always thinks.
No.
Juliane wasn't afraid for herself.
She was afraid for her mother.
Once she was able, Koepcke began to scout the area immediately
around her crash site for other survivors and resources.
She was careful to leave a trail since she knew how easy it
was to get lost in the jungle.
On the fourth day after the crash,
she heard a sound she recognized as a king vulture landing
in the forest.
She knew from her ornithologist mother
that this particular type of vulture
only landed when carrion or rotting flesh was
in the immediate vicinity.
Following the sound, she discovered the remains
of three other passengers.
Still strapped to their seats, they
had impacted the ground with such force
that they were buried 3 feet deep with only
their feet remaining visible.
One of the victims was a woman.
And Koepcke initially feared it might be her mother.
However, poking her with a stick,
she was able to discern that the woman had painted toenails,
which her mother did not.
During those first few days, Koepcke
would occasionally hear the sounds of rescue planes
overhead.
Because the forest canopy was so thick,
she wasn't able to see them.
More frustratingly, she could not get their attention.
Eventually, the sounds of the planes disappeared.
And she realized they were no longer searching for survivors.
She would later describe these as her most hopeless moments.
And she realized she would have to rely
on herself if she was going to escape the rainforest alive.
Finding water was as simple as licking droplets off leaves.
But finding food was no easy task.
She didn't have the tools necessary to fish or hack
at edible stems and roots.
And she knew a great deal of what else
grew in the rainforest was poisonous.
Though it wasn't much, Koepcke had
been lucky enough to discover a bag of candy
near where she landed.
That candy would be her only sustenance.
And she rationed it carefully, eating just a couple
of pieces each day.
Once it was gone, she experienced extreme hunger.
At one point, Juliane briefly considered
trying to catch and eat some wild frogs she had spotted
but discovered she was too weak and slow to get them.
This ultimately turned out to be a good thing since she later
learned they were venomous dart frogs that
likely would have ended her.
Juliane searched the area she landed and for other survivors.
But she didn't find any.
She did, however, find a small well.
It reminded her of some advice her father had given her
as a child.
He told her if she was ever lost in the jungle,
she should follow the water sources to find rescue.
The idea was that each tiny stream
would lead to a bigger one and eventually to one big enough
to be a water source for potential rescuers.
Juliane has stated that had she found other survivors,
she probably would have stayed put and waited with them.
In hindsight, she realized that likely
would have cost her her life.
Without anyone else to wait with,
she decided to start at the well and follow the water.
Progress was slow and difficult. Koepcke
was wearing only a short sleeveless mini
dress, which made the nights very cold for her.
Her watch had also stopped working,
which meant she had to keep a close eye on the sun
to tell time.
She was also missing a shoe, which
was particularly worrisome, given
that she knew there were snakes that
liked to camouflage themselves among the leaves on the forest
floor.
Complicating things even further was the fact
that she had also lost her glasses in the plane crash.
Taken together, all this meant that she had to constantly use
her remaining shoe to probe the path ahead of her
before she could take even one step.
Eventually, the creek she was following
became deep enough to walk in.
Despite the fact that Koepcke could see crocodiles slipping
in and out of the water, she knew they seldom
bothered humans and that by traveling by water
was ultimately safer than traveling by land.
As she followed the water, Koepcke
noticed that the way was often blocked by logs--
a sign that the area wasn't well traveled and might not
lead her to rescuers.
Blocking these discouraging thoughts out,
Juliane continued on.
Then on the 10th day after the crash of LANSA flight 508,
Koepcke spotted a boat.
At first, she thought she was hallucinating.
But she moved toward it and found herself actually
able to touch it.
Once she determined the boat was real, her adrenaline kicked in.
Near the riverbank where she spotted the boat,
Koepcke saw a path leading up into the forest.
Assuming her rescuers had gone in that direction,
she tried to make her own way up the path.
By this point, she was so weak she could only crawl.
Even worse, the maggots that had infected
the cut on her right arm were causing her intense pain,
as they tried to burrow further into the wound.
Luckily at the top of the path, she
came across a small hut that had a can of gasoline in it.
She recalled that in her childhood,
her father had used kerosene to treat
a dog who had a similar wound.
Juliane sucked the gasoline from the can
and applied it to her wound.
The pain was intense, but it worked.
She removed 30 maggots herself.
Her rescuers would later remove another 50.
But thanks to this quick-thinking action,
she never had to lose her arm.
With no one else in sight, Koepcke
tried to sleep in the hut under a tarp
but found the ground too hard.
She returned to the riverbank and spent the night there.
In the morning, she returned to the hut.
This time, she was discovered by three Peruvian men.
They were confused by her presence
and frightened by her bloodshot eyes and blond hair.
Koepcke later explained they believe in all sorts of ghosts
there.
And at first they thought it was one of these water
spirits called Yemania.
They are blond supposedly.
Luckily, Juliane spoke fluent Spanish
and was able to explain her situation to them
in their own language.
The next day these men took her downstream in their boat
to a nearby town where she was able to get treatment
at a local hospital.
Juliane was the only survivor of LANSA a flight 508.
But it's interesting to note the crash almost claimed one more.
Film Director Werner Herzog was almost on the flight.
But a last-minute change in plans
caused him to cancel his reservations.
Inspired by this twist of fate, he
would later create the documentary Wings of Hope
to tell the incredible tale of Juliane Koepcke's survival.
Do you think you could survive what Juliane did?
Let us know in the comments below.
And while you're at it, check out some of these other videos
from our Weird History.
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