Is there any reason why, over the course of 30 years, no one took a helicopter suited for that environment up there? The article mentions them trying, but bad weather preventing them from reaching the wreck. Why didn't anyone attempt again when the weather was better?
The article makes it somewhat clear that the altitude was too high for most helicopters to land and take off or hover, and that the Bolivian authorities would not allow a Peruvian helicopter that could handle the altitude participate in the search, allegedly out of pride.
Once a year or two had passed, the interest waned. An airplane with an inexperienced crew flying into a mountain while trying to land in a thunderstorm with only primitive and inaccurate navaids looks like an unfortunate accident, then and now.
Helicopters just don't work safely at that altitude. It also has persistent inclement weather conditions.
I've spent some time in La Paz, and other areas in Bolivia at high altitude. The effect in the human body is extreme. Sometimes you struggle to take ten steps up a slight gradual incline. It's insane.
La Paz and Quito are two airports I found particularly daunting to land at. Both surrounded by mountains at high altitude.
