2024-03-02 09:40:43
Striker Alfredo Gutiérrez “died” in the Green Cross tragedy in 1961. But, such a ghost, he reappeared at work and gave a surprise to his family who were already preparing his funeral.
On April 3, 1961, a Douglas DC-3 aircraft With 24 people on board – including part of the Green Cross staff – it crashed in the Nevado de Longaví mountain range. There were no survivorsincluding the forward Alfredo Gutierrez.
On the aircraft were players and coaching staff from the historic club based in Santiago (champion in 1945), as well as referees, leaders of the Central Football Association (today ANFP) and four crew members.
There was no miracle, as happened with the Uruguayans of the rugby club Old Christians Club who, in 1972, crashed in the Andes and whose story inspired The Snow Society.
“Green Cross plane missing: no survivors”was the headline of La Nación, a morning newspaper where Alfredo worked as a linotypist.
When the player arrived at the newspaper’s offices the next day, having no idea regarding the plane crash, his colleagues pounced on him. “But you’re dead!”they told them.
Alfredo’s luck
Indeed, Gutiérrez’s name appeared in the official reports of LAN Chile and press reports as one of the 24 fatal victims of the Douglas DC-3 accident in Longaví (Maule region).
According to what the former footballer told Panenka, he must have died in the air tragedy.
Green Cross had traveled to Osorno to face a local team for the Chile Cup, in years when the traditional tournament was just beginning to write its history.
After losing 1-0 to the local team and being eliminated from the tournament, the metropolitan team had to return to Santiago. They would do it on two flights, since there were no places available for everyone to travel together.
The first plane to take off had stops planned in Pucón, Temuco and Concepción, while the second would travel directly to the country’s capital. Alfredo Gutiérrez had tickets for this one.
However, minutes before boarding, his companion Hector Toledo He approached him. She offered to exchange spots and he agreed.
“Although it may seem paradoxical, I changed my ticket with Toledo because he wanted to go with several of his best friends on the squad.”. There was the possibility of taking a more comfortable flight a few minutes later, since it had only one stopover,” said the former player.
“Alfredo, you are dead”
The Douglas DC-3, flight 201 of LAN Chile, crashed at 11:57 p.m.. At that moment, Gutiérrez and the rest of the Green Cross team that avoided the tragedy were still traveling on their tedious flight.
Ignoring the tragedy, Alfredo separated from his companions at the Santiago airport and went home to rest. The next day he had to be at the La Nación offices first thing in the morning and he always stood out for his punctuality.
“When I arrived at work my colleagues jumped on me and showed me the front page of the newspaper, which said ‘Green Cross plane missing, no survivors.’ “As I gave the name Toledo, everyone thought I had died.”recalled the former player.
Everyone saw him as a ghost. Even at his home in Villa Alegre, his family was already preparing their final goodbye.
“When I spoke to my mother, who lived in Villa Alegre, she didn’t believe that I was alive”Gutiérrez explained. “I should have gone on that plane. I should have died on that ship and, nevertheless, I am here, finding out regarding all this,” concluded the former striker.
Days later, Alfredo led the massive funeral of his companions. The coffins were all sealed, there was no farewell beyond the protocol ones. “Such were the consequences of fate,” said the man who died in the Green Cross tragedy but lived to tell the tale.
FILE | Third
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