Fernando Reto's girlfriend, the lawyer who appeared safe and sound in the Mendoza city of Uspallata, experienced moments of uncertainty and anguish upon not receiving news of his whereabouts. Carla Pérez Quiroga, also a lawyer and from Mendoza, reported that she took Fernando to the meeting point on Friday, February 7, along with his trekking companion, Samuel. She kept in touch with him until the afternoon of Sunday, February 9, sending him photos when he had signal in the mountains.
Carla highlighted Fernando's experience in mountaineering, mentioning that this was his third summit at Cerro El Plata and that he had the appropriate equipment. Despite this, contact was temporarily lost. The uncertainty grew when, on Sunday, she received no responses and decided to contact Fernando's family in Buenos Aires and the rescue operation chief, Marcos Páez, to try to locate him.
Finally, on Saturday at 8:45 PM, she received a WhatsApp message from Fernando, informing her that he was well. Grateful for the positive outcome, she recounted that they had met the previous year during a trekking in Uspallata and that he had sent her a photo as proof of life. After taking him to the Uspallata Hospital, where he was admitted as a precaution, Fernando was discharged and they returned to Mendoza.
Carla expressed relief at having found her partner alive and thanked the support of the mountaineering groups and the swift actions of the rescue team in Uspallata.
