 SPOILER: In the film, the arrival of the rescue helicopters comes as  an overwhelming surprise to the survivors in the fuselage. In real  life, they actually heard in the news on their radio that  Nando Parrado (qv) and Roberto Canessa had reached safety. The  survivors then prepared for the arrival of the rescuers by putting  on the best clothes they could find, and even brushing their teeth  and combing their hair.