British national among five tourists killed during snowstorm in Chile
A British national was among five tourists killed in a severe snowstorm in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park in the southern region of Patagonia.
Four more people reported missing were found alive in the remote area amid heavy snowfall and winds reaching speeds of 190 miles per hour.
Two Germans, two Mexicans and a British citizen were killed, officials said, adding that harsh weather conditions made it difficult to recover the bodies.
Jose Antonio Ruiz, presidential delegate of Chile’s southern Magallanes region, said talks had begun with representatives of the victims’ countries of origin to repatriate the bodies.
“I offer my deepest condolences,” President Gabriel Boric said in a message to the victims’ families on social media. he said. “Know that you have the full support and cooperation of the Chilean authorities and institutions in these difficult times.”
Guillermo Ruiz, presidential delegate of Ultima Esperanza state, said tourists got lost near the national park’s Los Perros camp, which can only be reached by car from the nearest accessible point, a four- to five-hour walk.
The region was hit by a blizzard that caused whiteout conditions with wind speeds exceeding 193 km/h (120 mph), the equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane.
Torres del Paine National Park, with its jutting mountain peaks and boreal forests, spans approximately 1,810 square kilometers (700 square miles) and hosts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
