A Friday of terror in San Isidro. Renowned journalist and host Ernestina Pais, 54, lost her life when she was struck by a Tren de la Costa train. The accident occurred around 8:30 p.m. as she was heading to the Nini Marshall Theater in Tigre to star in the play El divorcio del año.
According to police sources, Pais was driving a black Honda City along Sáenz Peña Street in the Martínez neighborhood. Upon reaching the crossing with El Cano, she attempted to cross the tracks despite the barrier being down. The impact was brutal: the train hit the vehicle on the driver’s side, killing her instantly.
“The train was moving fast; it’s a fast and quiet train,” described journalist Robertito Funes, who knows the area. Witnesses stated that the barrier was completely down, reinforcing the hypothesis of human error or a technical failure that is still under investigation.
The Martínez prosecutor’s office, under UFI No. 2, has already ordered forensic examinations at the scene and requested records of barrier operation from the railway company. “We will determine whether there was a malfunction or if the driver failed to notice the warning,” a judicial source explained.
Theatrical producer Carlos Rotemberg, producer of the play, said the cast was waiting for Pais to start the 9 p.m. show. “They called her several times because she wasn’t arriving. They were surprised,” he recounted. Upon learning the news, the audience that filled the theater was in shock. “It causes stupor,” Multiteatro posted on its social media.
The Argentine Actors Association bid farewell to the host in a statement: “She left a mark on the media and on the stage thanks to her charisma and personal style.” José María Muscari, director of the play, wrote on Instagram: “Bye Ernes, may you be happy in eternity. That’s how I say goodbye to you, happy and acting.”
But the tragedy also uncovered a chilling fact: according to sources from the Buenos Aires Ministry of Transport, Pais was banned from driving until October 2027 for refusing to undergo breathalyzer tests. The information, which emerged in national media, adds a layer of suspicion to the accident.
Journalist Débora Plager, a friend of the victim, remembered her with emotion: “We met and within a few weeks you made me feel like we had a years-long friendship.” Ángel de Brito, host of LAM, confirmed the news live: “It left us all shocked. She died instantly.”
The Honda City was destroyed, a mangled heap of twisted metal. Forensic police are working on the investigation to reconstruct the seconds before the impact. Meanwhile, Pais’s family, who had fought against her addictions and celebrated being “alive and sober,” now mourns her passing.
The case shocks Argentina. A beloved figure, who had overcome her personal demons, meets death at a level crossing. Was it a fatal error? Did the barrier fail? The answers are under investigation.
Para mí esto huele a otro asesinato del sistema. El Tren de la Costa es un servicio berreta que prioriza la ganancia de los amigos del poder. A Ernestina la mataron por la inoperancia de estos gobiernos que no invierten en seguridad. Basta de muertes, fuera trenes privados y control estatal real. ¡Justicia para Ernestina!
Para mí esto es claramente culpa de la mina que cruzó con la barrera baja. No jodas, respetá las normas y no te hagas la viva. El tren no tiene la culpa, los que manejan mal merecen lo que les pasa. Basta de llorar, hacete cargo.