A set of boarding stairs was hurled across the runway
Shocking footage has surfaced on the internet, showing a parked passenger plane spinning on a runway in eastern Argentina as heavy storms batter the country. The aircraft was at a standstill when it got hit by strong winds, causing it to spin at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery Airport near Buenos Aires on Sunday.
Additionally, a set of boarding stairs was hurled across the runway, colliding with a luggage carrier. Tragically, 14 individuals lost their lives during the storm, which inflicted damage on structures and triggered power failures as it headed toward the Argentine capital, The Independent reported.
Meanwhile, the storm-packing winds clocked at up to 150 kilometres per hour (93 mph) caused the roof of a sports facility to collapse during a roller skating competition Saturday night in the city of Bahia Blanca, officials said.
Another 14 people were injured in that incident, city officials said.
Argentine President Javier Milei travelled Sunday to Bahia Blanca with several ministers to coordinate aid efforts, AFP reported.
The storm claimed a 14th life in Argentina when a falling tree branch killed a woman in the town of Moreno, 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Buenos Aires.
In Uruguay at least two people died in the wee hours of Sunday as the storm knocked down trees and tore off roofs, the National Weather Institute said.