Elderly couple rescued after 24-hour ordeal in Rio Grande do Sul car accident

An elderly couple was rescued after being trapped in a vehicle for over 24 hours following a traffic accident in the Campanha region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The driver, aged 87, and his 80-year-old wife were traveling from Dom Pedrito to Bagé in a Fiat Palio when their vehicle skidded off the road and overturned into a ditch near kilometer 244 of the BR-293 highway.

The couple was located on Friday afternoon by the Federal Highway Police (PRF) and emergency services after family members reported them missing. During the ordeal, one of the victims managed to make a brief, interrupted phone call to a relative to report the accident, but the signal was lost before further communication could be established.

A cyclist discovered the scene shortly before official rescue teams arrived. The vehicle was found overturned in a ravine, partially submerged in a stream. Although the elderly couple was found in a weakened state, they were reported to be without serious injuries and were transported to a local hospital in Dom Pedrito for medical evaluation.