Two Mexican tourists and three Europeans died as a result of a blizzard in Torres del Paine, the most visited nature reserve in Chilean Patagonia, according to authorities.
Another four who had disappeared were found alive, but for the moment their nationalities and conditions are unknown.
“We have to report five deceased persons,” two Mexicans, two Germans and a British woman, said José Antonio Ruiz, presidential delegate in the Magallanes region, in comments to the press.
The tourists were caught by the blizzard on Monday while trekking through the national park, some 2,800 kilometres south of Santiago, famous for its granite massifs, lakes and wildlife.
Ruiz added that “conversations have already begun with the corresponding consuls regarding the repatriation of the bodies."
Initially, only the deaths of the two Mexicans had been reported.
“To the families, friends and loved ones of the five people who sadly died in the tragedy in Torres del Paine, I send my most heartfelt condolences,” President Gabriel Boric wrote on his X account.
A team of soldiers and police supported the search efforts for the tourists, according to the initial report provided by the presidential delegate.
In November, the park opens to tourists who go hiking. One of the best-known circuits is the one that circles the Paine massifs, which takes a little over a week.
In 2024, more than 367,000 tourists visited the reserve, according to the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF). Torres del Paine has been declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO.
In the coming days, winds of up to 120km per hour are forecast, along with sleet, making visibility difficult for hikers.
Under such conditions, people walking “leave the marked trail, but with this white-out wind they become disoriented,” explained Juan Carlos Andrades, director of the National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response (SENAPRED) in Magallanes, in a telephone interview with AFP.
– TIMES/AFP
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