Five tourists killed by snowstorm in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park
At least five tourists have been killed by a snowstorm in the Torres del Paine National Park in southern Chile’s Patagonia region, while four more who were missing have been found alive.
Two Mexicans, two Germans and one Briton were killed, according to José Ruiz Pivcevic, the presidential delegate of Chile’s southernmost Magallanes region. Authorities are working to retrieve the bodies.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric extended his condolences to the victims’ loved ones.
Torres del Paine mayor Anahí Cárdenas told Chilean television that the tourists had been visiting the park without a tour guide.
She described the mountain circuit as “complex” but said the tragedy was likely due to the weather conditions.
Reuters reported that Guillermo Ruiz, the presidential delegate for Chile’s southern province of Ultima Esperanza, said the tourists had become lost near the park’s Los Perros camp, an area reachable only by a four- to five-hour trek from the closest accessible point by vehicle.The UK foreign office told CNN it was in contact with the local authorities following “an incident in Chile.”
Torres del Paine National Park is home to miles-long glaciers, turquoise-blue lakes, towering granite peaks, waterfalls and rare wildlife. The park is known for its trekking, which attracts tourists from all over the world.
UNESCO recognizes the park as a biosphere reserve, a site that helps with conservation and sustainability research.
