Juliane Koepcke's Incredible Story of Survival

Juliane Koepcke's story of survival is one of the most incredible and inspiring stories ever told. On Christmas Eve 1971, she and her mother were flying over the Peruvian rainforest when their plane was hit by lightning. She survived a two-mile fall and was left alone in the jungle at just 17-years-old. Despite the odds against her, she managed to survive for 11 days in the Peruvian jungle and eventually made it back to civilization. Her story is an inspiring tale of resilience and courage in the face of great adversity.

The Flight

Juliane and her mother were on their way home to Peru on Christmas Eve 1971 when their plane was struck by lightning. As they entered a very heavy, dark cloud, the plane began to experience very heavy turbulence and people began to panic. After seeing lightning around the plane, Juliane and her mother held hands and Juliane heard her mother say "That is the end, it's all over" before the plane suddenly jumped down and went into a nose-dive. Juliane was thrown from the plane and found herself in a freefall, strapped to her seat bench. She eventually lost consciousness and the plane crashed two miles above the ground.

Alone in the Jungle

When Juliane woke the next day, she found herself alone in the dense jungle. Realizing she had survived the air crash, she shouted out for her mother but there was no answer. Though she had broken her collarbone and suffered deep cuts on her legs, her injuries were not serious and she was able to walk. She was wearing a very short, sleeveless mini-dress and white sandals and had only one shoe, which she kept to help her test the ground ahead of her as she walked. Despite the danger of snakes, Juliane was lucky not to meet any during her journey.

Survival Tactics

Juliane had spent 18 months with her parents on their research station and knew a lot about life in the rainforest. She followed the sound of planes overhead searching for the wreck, but the dense forest made it difficult to see them. She followed a small creek and walked in the water because she knew it was safer, and she ate the sweets she had found at the crash site. It was very hot and wet, and Juliane was cold at night in her mini-dress. On the fourth day, she heard the noise of a landing king vulture and knew it meant bodies from the crash. Fearing it could be her mother, she was relieved to find the woman's toenails were painted, something her mother never did.

Rescue

On the 10th day, Juliane heard the noise of a large boat and found a hut with a palm leaf roof and a litre of gasoline. She was able to use the gasoline to get rid of the maggots that had infested her arm. When she heard voices outside the hut the next day, she went out to find a group of men who were alarmed to see her. After introducing herself in Spanish and explaining what had happened, the men treated her wounds and took her back to civilization. The day after her rescue, she was reunited with her father who had been searching for news of her mother. Though her mother had also survived the crash, she tragically died several days later.

Conclusion

Juliane Koepcke's story of survival is an incredible and inspiring tale of resilience and courage in the face of great adversity. Despite the odds against her, she managed to survive for 11 days in the Peruvian jungle and eventually make it back to civilization. Her story is a testament to the power of the human spirit and how, even in the darkest of times, there is always hope.