Workers stranded in extreme cold near Las Leñas

Three workers from the tourism transport company Sol Bus are stranded near the Las Leñas ski center in Mendoza, Argentina, facing extreme temperatures of approximately 20 degrees Celsius below zero. The situation arose after a severe snowstorm and ice accumulation made Provincial Route 222 impassable, compounded by a multi-vehicle accident near Los Molles.

While passengers from the two buses were successfully evacuated and transported toward San Luis, the two drivers and a coordinator remained isolated. To survive the freezing conditions, the workers have been using the bus engines periodically to maintain heat.

The Provincial Road Directorate has closed Route 222 until safety and transitability conditions improve. In response to the weather event, the Mendoza government has also suspended in-person classes in several departments, including Malargüe, San Rafael, and Tunuyán, as a preventive measure.