Five tourists died during a strong snowstorm in Torres del Paine National Park, in the southern Patagonia region of Chile, authorities said on Tuesday (18), adding that four others who had been reported missing were found alive.
José Antonio Ruiz, presidential delegate for the Magallanes region in southern Chile, said that talks had begun with representatives of the victims’ countries of origin so that their bodies could be repatriated.
Two Germans, two Mexicans and a Briton died, authorities said, adding that the harsh weather was making it difficult to recover the bodies.
“I extend my deepest condolences,” he said on social media in a message to the victims’ families. “Know that you have the full support and collaboration of the Chilean authorities and institutions during these difficult times,” he said.
Guillermo Ruiz, presidential delegate for the province of Última Esperanza, told reporters that the tourists got lost near the national park’s Los Perros camp, accessible only by a four- to five-hour hike from the closest point accessible by vehicle.
The area was hit by a snowstorm that caused blizzard conditions with strong winds that exceeded 193 km/h, the equivalent of a .
Torres del Paine National Park, with its jutting mountaintops and subpolar forests, covers around 1,810 km² and welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
