How Did 2 People Die When a Pickup Overturned on Argentina's 'Road of Death' Near Rafaela?

Quick answer

Two people died and two more were seriously injured when a pickup truck overturned on Ruta Nacional 34 — the highway known in Argentina as the "ruta de la muerte" (road of death) — near Rafaela, in Santa Fe province, on Saturday morning, 17 October 2026.

Key facts

• What: Pickup truck overturned on Ruta Nacional 34
• Where: Km 242, northern access to Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
• When: Saturday 17 October 2026, around 11:30
• Deaths: 2
• Seriously injured: 2
• Vehicle: Grey Ford Ranger XL 4x2 double-cab pickup
• Reported: 18 October 2026, via Clarín

What happened

According to police sources cited by Clarín, a grey Ford Ranger XL 4x2 double-cab pickup travelling at high speed lost control and overturned as it travelled south to north along the northern access to Rafaela, at kilometre 242 of Ruta Nacional 34. The vehicle left the road and overturned against the shoulder.

Two couples were travelling in the pickup. The driver, aged 70, and his passenger died at the scene. The woman was thrown from the vehicle and found dead in a ditch near the shoulder.

Rescue and hospital response

Firefighters from the Dirección General de Bomberos, Cuartel Zona Norte, attended the scene. Because of the state of the wrecked pickup, they had to use hydraulic equipment to remove the doors and free the surviving couple, who were in the back seat. The two survivors were taken urgently to Hospital "Jaime Ferré" in Rafaela, where they arrived in serious condition. Gendarmería officers and personnel from Comisaría 1 also took part in the operation.

What happens next

Investigators are examining what caused the Ford Ranger to lose control and overturn. The occupants of the pickup lived in Ituzaingó, in the Buenos Aires conurbation. Ruta Nacional 34 is widely known in Argentina as the "ruta de la muerte" because of its history of serious crashes, and this crash adds two more deaths to that toll.

Frequently asked questions

How many people died in the Ruta 34 crash?

Two people died at the scene: the 70-year-old driver and his passenger.

How many people were injured?

Two more people, a couple travelling in the back seat, were rescued alive and taken to Hospital "Jaime Ferré" in Rafaela in serious condition.

When and where did the crash happen?

Around 11:30 on Saturday 17 October 2026, at kilometre 242 of Ruta Nacional 34, at the northern access to Rafaela, in Santa Fe province, Argentina.

What vehicle was involved?

A grey Ford Ranger XL 4x2 double-cab pickup, travelling south to north. Investigators are still examining why it lost control.

Why is Ruta Nacional 34 called the "ruta de la muerte"?

It is a nickname used in Argentina for the highway because of its long history of serious and fatal crashes.