A couple was traveling in a pickup truck along a rural road in Argentine Patagonia when they were caught off guard by a snowstorm that left them stranded for nearly two days exposed to extreme cold. It all happened in Santa Cruz province, on Provincial Route 43, where bad weather and snow accumulation made any movement of the vehicle impossible.
The emergency began on Saturday morning when José Guillermo Bilbao and Noelia Gissella Siares attempted to use an old alternative road to reach the Cerro Piedra area, as the usual route was blocked by snow.
However, the vehicle became stuck and unable to move forward, forcing the couple to take shelter inside the pickup truck while they waited for help.
During the 44 hours they spent waiting, the couple faced extreme weather conditions with a minimum temperature of -22°C. To survive the intense cold, they were forced to ration their fuel, running the engine only briefly to keep the heater going.
The alarm was raised by Bilbao's brother, who, upon noticing that the couple had not returned, contacted authorities on Saturday afternoon. However, the first attempts to reach them were frustrated by the difficult terrain and persistent snowfall.
On Sunday, the search operation tasked with finding them came across another young couple who were also trapped. Initially, the rescuers assisted these individuals believing they were Bilbao's truck, which delayed their arrival at the primary target.
Finally, a joint effort between the Provincial Road Authority, the National Gendarmerie, the Special Rescue Operations Group (GOER) and the Santa Cruz police managed to complete the rescue at around 4:30 in the early hours of Monday morning.
Despite prolonged exposure to extreme cold, both were found in good health and did not require emergency medical attention.
