[from Latin American Herald Tribune, 21 January 2011]
Stranded Climbers Rescued from Argentina’s Aconcagua
BUENOS AIRES – A Spanish man and Argentine woman were rescued safe and sound Thursday from the slopes of Argentina’s Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas, authorities said.
Though dealing with exhaustion, dehydration and minor injuries, Tomas Gomez, 31, and Belen Pedernera, 22, are in good shape, according to doctors who examined them at the foot of the mountain.
Aconcagua, known as the “Roof of the Americas,” is a 6,962-meter (22,840-foot) peak located in Mendoza province, some 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) west of Buenos Aires.
The climbers ran into trouble on the route leading to the Piramide summit and found themselves unable to proceed once they reached the 5,200-meter level, rescue team leader David Spinelli told radio stations.
“There have been a lot of avalanches on the Piramide summit. That route is very difficult and they didn’t know this,” Spinelli said of Gomez and Pedernera.
Authorities began the search Tuesday, after the climbers failed to return to their base camp on schedule.
The families of Gomez and Pedernera are awaiting their arrival in Mendoza city, the provincial capital.
Stranded Climbers Rescued from Argentina’s Aconcagua
BUENOS AIRES – A Spanish man and Argentine woman were rescued safe and sound Thursday from the slopes of Argentina’s Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas, authorities said.
Though dealing with exhaustion, dehydration and minor injuries, Tomas Gomez, 31, and Belen Pedernera, 22, are in good shape, according to doctors who examined them at the foot of the mountain.
Aconcagua, known as the “Roof of the Americas,” is a 6,962-meter (22,840-foot) peak located in Mendoza province, some 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) west of Buenos Aires.
The climbers ran into trouble on the route leading to the Piramide summit and found themselves unable to proceed once they reached the 5,200-meter level, rescue team leader David Spinelli told radio stations.
“There have been a lot of avalanches on the Piramide summit. That route is very difficult and they didn’t know this,” Spinelli said of Gomez and Pedernera.
Authorities began the search Tuesday, after the climbers failed to return to their base camp on schedule.
The families of Gomez and Pedernera are awaiting their arrival in Mendoza city, the provincial capital.
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