Five foreign tourists die at Chilean national park in severe storm
A distress message posted in the Facebook group "Torres del Paine, Chile" triggered a rescue operation late Monday.
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The hikers at Torres del Paine National Park, Chile, who were traveling without a guide, encountered a phenomenon known as “white wind,” with gusts more than 120 mph, heavy snow, rain and below-freezing temperatures. (File Photo by Francisco Negroni/EPA)
SANTIAGO, Chile, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Five foreign tourists died in Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia while hiking a challenging trekking circuit and were caught in severe weather conditions, authorities said.
A distress message posted in the Facebook group "Torres del Paine, Chile" triggered a rescue operation late Monday that ended with the deaths of two Mexican tourists, two Germans and a British woman, while four other people were found alive.
The message, written by another hiker in the area and shared by guides, shelters and tourism agencies, quickly reached local authorities, who reported that a group of nine tourists had gone missing on one of the park's most difficult routes in one of its highest areas about 3,900 feet above sea level.
It was also key that a tourist activated the Garmin SOS system on their watch, which sent a message to the United States, reported the outlet Emol. From the headquarters of the U.S. geolocation company, workers issued the alert to the Chilean authorities.
According to reports, the hikers -- who were traveling without a guide -- encountered a phenomenon known as "white wind," with gusts more than 120 mph, heavy snow, rain and below-freezing temperatures. Visibility dropped to zero and the terrain became impassable, preventing them from reaching any of the park's shelters.
José Antonio Ruiz, the presidential delegate for the Magallanes Region, said the bodies were found along one of the trails, ruling out an accident or fall.
"It is an area with extremely bad weather conditions, with strong wind and snow that severely limits visibility on the trail," Ruiz said. The route is normally closed in winter and reopens in November.
At a news conference, Ruiz said rescue authorities are coordinating repatriation of the victims to their home countries.
"Talks have already begun with the corresponding consuls for the repatriation of the bodies," Ruiz said after a meeting of the Disaster Risk Management Committee in the area. He added that, as weather conditions allow, the victims will be transported in an Air Force helicopter.
"It is a very hard-to-reach area. Weather conditions have not allowed safe air operations," he said.
Chilean authorities said that once the emergency has passed, an investigation will begin to understand what happened and determine whether the park's safety protocols were followed. In the meantime, the National Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation to establish responsibility.
Torres del Paine National Park has six trekking routes, but two are the most visited. The O Circuit, where the deaths occurred, is one of them. It circles the Paine Massif, where weather can change within minutes because the area is highly exposed to wind.
"There are no trees or vegetation, which makes it harder to take shelter from the wind. In addition, the area is known for strong westerly winds that come from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. It is a narrow area, which increases wind speed and the intensity of precipitation," Eduardo Katz, director of Ecotourism Management at Universidad San Sebastián, told La Tercera.
"It is a geographic area where you can experience all four seasons in a single day," he said.
On his X account, Chilean President Gabriel Boric posted a message "to the families, friends and loved ones of the five people of Mexican, German and British nationality who sadly died in the tragedy in Torres del Paine. I send my deepest condolences."
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