Náufragos del cielo

This novel begins with a fact as real as it is chilling: between 1970 and 1985, 1,759 people died in commercial airline accidents in Spain. In November 1983, the world's largest and most modern airplane departed from Paris bound for Bogotá, but it was unable to make its stop in Madrid, crashing into the ground twelve kilometers from Barajas Airport. This was the tragedy of Avianca Flight 011. One hundred and eighty-one people lost their lives that day: flight attendants and pilots, entire families and couples in love, renowned writers and revolutionary figures. On the ground, all those who had hoped to be reunited with their loved ones remained anxiously waiting. Their gaze lingered in the sky, like the dreams of those who still had so much to change, write, and love. What really happened that November day? Who was responsible for the accident? Could the cruel fate of an airplane equipped with the most advanced safety measures have been avoided? Jesús Gallego delves into the heart of a country that shone as a holiday destination while simultaneously languishing under the weight of outdated administrative structures. This is the emotional account of a forgotten event, the chronicle of a Spain that still had a long way to go before becoming modern.