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Emaciated Uruguayan man, 58, who was rescued after spending four months 'lost' in the Andes was fleeing paedophile charges
- Raul Fernando Gomez Circunegui, 58, went missing in May
- he was said to have lost his way in on a trek from Chile to Argentina
- Argentine officials found him in a shelter 9,318 feet above sea level
- Chilean authorities issued an arrest warrant for him in April
- He is wanted in connection with alleged abuse of an eight-year-old
By WILLS ROBINSON and STEVE NOLAN PUBLISHED: 06:48 GMT, 10 September 2013 | UPDATED: 07:10 GMT, 10 September 2013
A Uruguayan man who was rescued after spending four months apparently lost in the Andes was on the run from child sex allegations, it has emerged. Raul Fernando Gomez Circunegui, 58, was rescued on Sunday after a group of Argentinians who were recording snow levels stumbled across him. He lost more than three stone during his apparent ordeal and was extremely malnourished.But it has since emerged that a warrant was issued for his arrest by authorities in Chile in connection with sex offences back in April.
Wanted: Raul Fernando Gomez Circunegui who lost three stone after he went missing in the Andes four months ago, is wanted in connection with sex allegations it has emerged
Raul Fernando Gomez Circunegui is carried to a helicopter by rescuers, from the shelter where he was found after disappearing four months ago in the remote Andes Mountains of San Juan Province
Recovery: After being found in a remote mountain cabin, Uruguayan Raul Gomez is comforted by relatives at a hospital in San Juan, Argentina
Chilean authorities have reportedly requested his extradition in connection with allegations of abuse involving an eight year old boy in Santiago. The Chilean prosecutor's office said in a statement: 'It is believed that he left Chile through an unauthorised crossing since border police were informed of his ban from leaving the country.'
It was not immediately clear why the 58-year-old plumber and motorcycle enthusiast with no apparent mountaineering experience was so determined to walk across the Chilean frontier. But he claimed to have traveled to Argentina and then Chile to meet up with fellow motorcyclists.
Gomez had reportedly set out to cross the mountains in May but had to take the journey on by foot because his motorcycle broke down. He then claimed to have lost his way during a snowstorm.
Rescue operation: After he was found in a remote mountain cabin, Raul Gomez was carried from a helicopter and placed on stretcher in San Juan, Argentina
Miracle: Raul Fernando Gomez Circunegui, 58, being examined by doctors after surviving four months in the Andes
Safe: Gomez lies on a stretcher and is examined by a doctor after his rescue from the Andes
A search party had been launched to try and find Gomez, but it was abandoned in July because of harsh conditions. Officials from the northwestern province of San Juan then found Gomez in a shelter 9,318 feet above sea level. His mother Irma Cincunegui told reporters last night that she did not believe allegations of sex offences against her son. 'Raul is a good, hard-working man,' she said.
'Everybody knows him in Bella Union, where he never had troubles with anybody.' Gomez had been hailed as a miraculous survivor after he was found. He was was joined by his two daughters and wife in the intensive care unit of the hospital in San Juan province and was said to be recuperating well. San Juan Governor Jose Luis Gioja had told the local Diario de Cuyo newspaper: 'The truth is that this is a miracle. We still can't believe it.
Area: Gomez was found in the remote north-western corner of the San Juan Andes, Argentina by officials who were recording snow levels
Treacherous conditions: Gomez was found in the mountains near Argentina
Wanted: Raul Fernando Gomez Circunegui who lost three stone after he went missing in the Andes four months ago, is wanted in connection with sex allegations it has emerged
Raul Fernando Gomez Circunegui is carried to a helicopter by rescuers, from the shelter where he was found after disappearing four months ago in the remote Andes Mountains of San Juan Province
Recovery: After being found in a remote mountain cabin, Uruguayan Raul Gomez is comforted by relatives at a hospital in San Juan, Argentina
Chilean authorities have reportedly requested his extradition in connection with allegations of abuse involving an eight year old boy in Santiago. The Chilean prosecutor's office said in a statement: 'It is believed that he left Chile through an unauthorised crossing since border police were informed of his ban from leaving the country.'
It was not immediately clear why the 58-year-old plumber and motorcycle enthusiast with no apparent mountaineering experience was so determined to walk across the Chilean frontier. But he claimed to have traveled to Argentina and then Chile to meet up with fellow motorcyclists.
Gomez had reportedly set out to cross the mountains in May but had to take the journey on by foot because his motorcycle broke down. He then claimed to have lost his way during a snowstorm.
Rescue operation: After he was found in a remote mountain cabin, Raul Gomez was carried from a helicopter and placed on stretcher in San Juan, Argentina
Miracle: Raul Fernando Gomez Circunegui, 58, being examined by doctors after surviving four months in the Andes
Safe: Gomez lies on a stretcher and is examined by a doctor after his rescue from the Andes
A search party had been launched to try and find Gomez, but it was abandoned in July because of harsh conditions. Officials from the northwestern province of San Juan then found Gomez in a shelter 9,318 feet above sea level. His mother Irma Cincunegui told reporters last night that she did not believe allegations of sex offences against her son. 'Raul is a good, hard-working man,' she said.
'Everybody knows him in Bella Union, where he never had troubles with anybody.' Gomez had been hailed as a miraculous survivor after he was found. He was was joined by his two daughters and wife in the intensive care unit of the hospital in San Juan province and was said to be recuperating well. San Juan Governor Jose Luis Gioja had told the local Diario de Cuyo newspaper: 'The truth is that this is a miracle. We still can't believe it.
Area: Gomez was found in the remote north-western corner of the San Juan Andes, Argentina by officials who were recording snow levels
Treacherous conditions: Gomez was found in the mountains near Argentina
