Overview
- Two Australian cyclists, identified as Katie Flowers and Ben Warrick, were spotted near the Portillo border area by the Mendoza police helicopter Halcón 01 and continued toward Chile in good health.
- An Army helicopter located two RIM 11 soldiers and a civilian on Cerro Punta Negra after they lost the route during bad weather, evacuating them to Manzano Histórico for medical checks.
- The searches began overnight after an SOS beacon was relayed through the aeronautical search-and-rescue system EANA and 911, prompting coordinated aerial and ground efforts.
- Authorities prioritized air operations because ground access from the Argentine side was estimated to take about four days, with Chilean assistance considered as a contingency.
- Local civil defense and the Valle de Uco prosecutor’s office monitored the operation, with assistant prosecutor Abel Cappi overseeing documentation.