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Aconcagua Guide Airlifted in Rare Hover Extraction Near Plaza de Mulas

A private pilot coordinated with park rescuers to lift the patient without landing in thin air.

Overview

  • A 40-year-old guide with two decades of experience collapsed during the Cuesta Brava descent near Plaza de Mulas at about 4,200 meters around 12:30 Sunday.
  • Rescue Patrol members and park rangers reached the scene first, and a park doctor administered oxygen and medication before ordering immediate evacuation.
  • Pilot Horacio Pedro Freschi of the company Helicopters determined the site was unsafe for landing and executed a hover extraction without touching down.
  • A park medic and a ranger accompanied the aerial maneuver, and the guide was flown to Horcones for further medical care.
  • Videos released by the pilot and medical team document the operation, which local outlets describe as a seldom-used technique on Aconcagua due to altitude risks.