The Jungle Air Crash

The Jungle Air Crash

1. Prepare a write up on "The Jungle Air Crash"

 “The Jungle Air Crash” is a beautiful narrative which describes the thrilling experience of Juliane Koepcke, a German biologist, who survived alone in the Peruvian rainforest for eleven and half day. The aircraft, Lansa Airlines flight 508 in which Julian with her mother  boarded to spend Christmas with her father in jungle hut, was crashed and exploded at a height of 3000 feet. Fortunately Julian alone was thrown herself out of the plane. She felt herself that she was turning over and over in the air. Then she lost consciousness. When she regained her consciousness, she realized that she was lying under a section of three seats turned upside down. There were no sign of her mother, other passengers, or of the plane. She spent the whole night lying under the seat half-asleep, in shock.

The next morning, she stood up slowly and began to walk. She picked up a long stick to avoid snakes, poisonous spiders and ants. Her parents had guided her that when lost in the jungle one should always look for streams, and then follow them to larger streams. On the third day, she heard vultures and found some airplane fuselage. As she walked along the river bank, she saw parrots, monkeys and humming birds, and many varieties of tiny orchids growing on tree trunks. She avoided delicious looking fruit because she knew that things that look beautiful are poisonous. She had a large wound on her foot and it caused unbearable pain by the bites of the insects. Sometimes she chose swimming because walking was much harder.

On the tenth day, she saw a boat moored on the river bank. And there was a path leading to a small hut. As she entered the hut, she saw a small outboard motor carefully wrapped in plastic, and a can of petrol. She didn't want to take a boat which belonged to someone else. So, she waited there for the arrival of the owners. After some time, there appeared three mestizo hunters — half white, half-Indians. They told her that they knew about the crash and one of them had actually been in a search plane which flew over the jungle after the accident. They washed her with salt water , put salve on her wounds and made fruit mash for her. But she couldn't eat it. Early next morning, they got their boat ready and took her to the jungle settlement of Tournavista. Then her wound was treated from a small dispensary there. They used a special medicine to clean out all the worms, and gave her an injection to counteract inflammation.

Eleven and a half days after the crash, she again boarded a plane, a small twin- engined machine that took her to the U.S. mission base of the Summer Institute of Linguistics near Pucallpa, where an American doctor looked after her. Her father arrived and informed about the death of her mother. Later, with the help of her directions, Searchers found the Electra scattered over 16 kilometres of jungle. The cause of the crash, and how Juliane got safely down, was unknown. One theory was that the plane exploded at 3,000 metres, that the fall of some pieces was cushioned by an enormous upward current of air in the storm.

4. Prepare a narrative of Julian Koepcke.

Answer :

The moments I saw Death

The aircraft, Lansa Airlines flight 508 in which I with my mother boarded to spend Christmas with my father in jungle hut, was crashed and exploded at a height of 3000 feet. Fortunately I alone was thrown herself out of the plane. I felt myself that I was turning over and over in the air. Then I lost consciousness. When I regained her consciousness, I realized that I was lying under a section of three seats turned upside down. There were no sign of my mother, other passengers, or of the plane. I spent the whole night lying under the seat half-asleep, in shock.

The next morning, I stood up slowly and began to walk. I picked up a long stick to avoid snakes, poisonous spiders and ants. My parents had guided me that when lost in the jungle one should always look for streams, and then follow them to larger streams. On the third day, I heard vultures and found some airplane fuselage. As I walked along the river bank, I saw parrots, monkeys and humming birds, and many varieties of tiny orchids growing on tree trunks. I avoided delicious looking fruit because I knew that things that look beautiful are poisonous. I had a large wound on my foot and it caused unbearable pain by the bites of the insects. Sometimes I chose swimming because walking was much harder.

On the tenth day, I saw a boat moored on the river bank. And there was a path leading to a small hut. As I entered the hut, I saw a small outboard motor carefully wrapped in plastic, and a can of petrol. I didn't want to take a boat which belonged to someone else. So, I waited there for the arrival of the owners. After some time, there appeared three mestizo hunters — half white, half-Indians. They told me that they knew about the crash and one of them had actually been in a search plane which flew over the jungle after the accident. They washed me with salt water , put salve on my wounds and made fruit mash for her. But I couldn't eat it. Early next morning, they got their boat ready and took me to the jungle settlement of Tournavista. Then my wound was treated from a small dispensary there. They used a special medicine to clean out all the worms, and gave me an injection to counteract inflammation.

Eleven and a half days after the crash, I again boarded a plane, a small twin- engined machine that took me to the U.S. mission base of the Summer Institute of Linguistics near Pucallpa, where an American doctor looked after me. My father arrived and informed about the death of my mother. Later, with the help of my directions, Searchers found the Electra scattered over 16 kilometres of jungle. The cause of the crash, and how I got safely down, was unknown. One theory was that the plane exploded at 3,000 metres, that the fall of some pieces was cushioned by an enormous upward current of air in the storm.

3. Prepare a news paper report of Julian's survival.

Answer :

        Supergirl Comes Back to Life

Pucalpa, January 5 : The aircraft, Lansa Airlines flight 508 was exploded at a height of 3000 feet just 30 minutes after the take off. All the 92 passengers except a 17 year old girl Juliane Koepcke were died on the spot. Julian lost her mother too in that accident. When the plane exploded she was thrown herself outside strapped to her seat. She had to spend eleven and half day in the dense forest. Finally she was rescued by the mestizo hunters who took her to Tournavista and then handed over to her father. Juliane was congratulated by people allover the world for her bravery and strong will power.

4. Prepare a Diary entry of Juliane after her escape.

Answer :

05 January 1972

Monday

It was an unforgettable moments in my life! How can I forget those horrible days and night that I spent in the jungle?  Anyway thank God, now I am safely back at home. It is really a miraculous escape. I never expect that I can see my father and friends again. I can't forget the horrifying experiences in the jungle. I never thought I could come out alive. God is so great!.I can't believe that I had to spend eleven and a half day in the dense forest. The mosquitoes,the crude jungle path,the broad river,the bleeding wound,all remain a nightmare .Finally I could see my family. But Oh I lost my mother,I wish she were alive. I am so thankful to the mestizo hunters who saved me. May God bless them also.

5. Prepare 6 Interview questions to interview Julian Koepcke.

Answer :

>  Where did you board the plane to Pucallpa with your mother?

> How many passengers were there in Lansa Airlines flight 508? 

> When did the plane from Lima take off to Pucallpa?

> How did you make out that the aircraft was in trouble?

> What were the reactions of the passengers when they realised about the danger?

> When did you realise that you were no longer inside the plane?

> Why did you remain lying under the seat belt all night after the crash?

> How could you manage to survive in the jungle? 

> Have you ever faced any dangerous situation in that jungle?