Four Argentine Miners Rescued After Three Nights in Catamarca Snowstorm

Four miners were rescued alive after being stranded for three to four days in the high‑altitude Puna of Catamarca, Argentina. The snowstorm buried their vehicle under several metres of snow at around 4,500 m and temperatures fell to –30 °C. Two of the workers left the truck, ignited a fire and used a satellite phone to transmit their location, which enabled rescuers to locate them. The operation involved roughly 60 personnel—including firefighters, police, provincial road crews, miners from Río Tinto and local volunteers—who traversed deep snow and strong winds on foot and with vehicles. All four were found in separate spots, suffering varying degrees of hypothermia; one showed early signs of frostbite. A firefighter who took part described the outcome as “a miracle.” After the rescue, the Argentine Miners’ Union called for an investigation into possible safety‑protocol breaches, noting that weather alerts had warned of an intense storm.

A firefighter later told reporters, “un milagro,” echoing the sentiment expressed in several accounts of the event.