PANAMA. The annual ASUTIL conference concluded today with what may rank as the most memorable presentation in the history of travel retail events.
It came not from an industry executive but from a gentle man of medicine who sat alone on stage and talked without notes about an extraordinary, life-changing experience that took place nearly 36 years ago.
Uruguayan Dr Roberto Canessa was one of the 16 survivors of a flight which crashed in the Andes on 13 October 1972. At the time of the accident he was 19 years old and a medical student.
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A tale of survival: Dr Roberto Canessa spoke without notes in a deeply humane and riveting address |
The survivors, initially given up for dead, were found ten weeks after the plane crash. Roberto Canessa, along with Fernando Parrado, managed to find help after a ten-day trek through treacherous conditions to get help. The miraculous survival of the passengers became an even bigger sensation at the time when it was revealed that they had been forced to eat the flesh of the deceased victims to survive.
Today on stage Roberto Canessa relived those experiences in front of a hushed audience. Beginning with a video that combined real-life footage and film coverage with actors, he then went on to talk about the emotions that occurred as his plane crashed and the subsequent battle for survival in atrocious, freezing conditions.
“It was about simple, normal human beings facing an extraordinary situation,” he began. “They were 72 of the most horrible days of my life. I was just 19 years old, playing rugby for the Christian Brothers [a Catholic Uruguayan rugby team -Ed].
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ASUTIL conference reaches inspirational conclusion |
Talking of the moment of impact with the mountain, he said: “All of a sudden I felt a hit”¦ it was absurd. I felt like I was dying. Someone was saying a Hail Mary. “˜Jesus don’t leave me, don’t leave me’. My seat flew forward – it was an impressive hit.
“Where the bathroom had been you could only see snow. I went outside and stood in the snow. There was no ambulance, nothing – just the silence of the mountains.”
As darkness fell, Canessa recalled the night was “like Dante’s inferno”.
Some who had survived initially died in front of their fellow passengers’ eyes. Others would perish in an avalanche that hit the plane two weeks after the crash. “You see death next to you,” he said. “Your friend wears the same clothes as when he was alive. It’s a fine line between life and death and you realise you can cross it at any time.”
He acknowledged that the eating of human flesh had become the “flashiest part of the story” to the media, but he said there had simply been no choice. “At first we said let’s eat the leather off the seats – it was like poison.”
At the time he recalled the words of Jesus – “Take, eat. This is my body” – but still Canessa felt he was “taking advantage” of a friend that was dead. “A friend who could not move”¦ I felt that I was violating him.”
Then, he recalled, he imagined himself as that dead person, and felt that he, himself, would approve of the act. “I will love you beyond death,” he said quietly, as the audience listened, spellbound.
He recalled the “terrible cold”, 30 degrees below, as men would sleep locked in each other’s arms for warmth. But after two months they realised that unless someone could reach help, they would all die on the mountain. The long journey through extreme alpine terrain began, culminating when Canessa and Parrado encountered a herdsman in the Andean foothills.
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Honouring the industry contribution of Orlane’s Christine Mazy |
Some of the detailed recollections were riveting. The two hikers had each carried human meat in a rugby sock for sustenance and worn women’s make-up to protect their faces from the conditions.
On they went, trying to get off the mountains. “For us, snow was the synonym of death”¦ I had seen all my friends die in the snow.”
Concluding the address, Canessa talked of the immense human capacity for survival. Reflecting on how the experience had changed him forever, he noted: “I believe that life on earth contaminates us. I believe that life on the mountains purified us.”
Asked by a member of the audience to sum the experience up in a few words, he smiled and said: “What I learned was that you can cry but you can’t stop walking.”
We’ll present a full report soon on what may rank as the best-ever ASUTIL conference, largely on the strength of an excellent second day. This will include details of a richly deserved Lifetime Achievement Award for Orlane’s popular Christine Mazy (listen here to her reaction on The Moodie Podcast).
IMAGES OF ASUTIL 2008
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A delighted, emotional Christine Mazy accepts her Lifetime Achievement Award from Asutil Vice President Francisco (Paco) Heredia (left), President Daniel Montero and Secretary-General José Luis Donagaray |
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All part of the extended Autogrill family (left to right): Aldeasa International Operations Director Daniel Montero; World Duty Free Director of Trade Relations Sarah Branquinho; Aldeasa Strategy & Corporate Development Associate Director Isabel Zarza; Aldeasa Cancún General Manager Nancy Santarelli Pared; Aldeasa Financial & Economic Director Pablo Bas Lostao, who delivered an informative speech on the influence of exchange rate fluctuations |
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(Left) Monica Baumgarten de Bolle of Galanto Consultoria (consultants to Dufry South America) gave an outstanding presentation on the impact of exchange rates – as well as the current economic environment; (Right) Asutil Vice President Francisco (Paco) Heredia closed the 2008 conference in upbeat mood | |
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(Left) Doña Jimena Executive Manager Enrique Jiménez ensured delegates were well-fed by co-sponsoring the coffee breaks and offering the company’s delicious Spanish confectionery; (Right) Grupo Wisa President Abdul Waked welcomes guests to the Gala Dinner, sponsored by his company | |
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Local colour on show at the Gala Dinner – pictured right is a happy-looking Javier Medina of Bodegas Williams & Humbert | |
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(Left) Enrique Urioste, Duty Free Americas Airport Division President, gave a typically ebullient address; (Right) Mannah Duty Free President Mohamad Said Mannah with his wife and The Moodie Report Publisher Martin Moodie | |
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A warm local welcome to the first day’s lunch sponsored by Motta Internacional |
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(Left) Lunch is served by Motta Internacional; (Right) Travel Retail Business correspondent John Gallagher co-moderated the conference warmly and expertly, working with The Moodie Report Founder and Publisher Martin Moodie | |
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The opening day of ASUTIL 2008 saw strong contributions from Interbaires CEO Nicolás Posse (left) on improving the customer experience and World Duty Free Director of Trade Relations Sarah Branquinho on the LAGs issue | |
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(Left) Tocumen International Airport Commercial Manager Erick Goldoni underlined the Panamanian gateway’s renewed commercial revenues emphasis; (Right) London Supply’s Francisco (Paco) Heredia in relaxed, anecdotal mood | |
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Duty Free Americas President Leon Falic welcomes delegates to the company-sponsored Opening Cocktaill; DFA President Airports Division Enrique Urioste and Americas Duty Free magazine Editor Hibah Noor at the Opening Cocktail | |
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