A British woman and four other foreign tourists have died in a blizzard at the Torres del Paine nature reserve in southern Chile. The group went missing on Monday amid heavy snowfall and winds of up to 120mph in the Patagonian park.
Nine people were initially reported missing, but four were rescued alive from a remote mountainous area. On Tuesday afternoon, authorities confirmed the deaths of two Mexicans, two Germans and a British woman. A total of 24 people, including police, soldiers and mountain rescue teams, were involved in the search, but helicopters were grounded due to adverse weather.
José Antonio Ruiz, presidential delegate of the Magallanes region, stated: 'We are in the process of evacuation and consular procedures, due to the nationality of these people.' He added that preparations were under way to airlift the bodies once conditions allowed.
The tourists became lost near the Los Perros camp, which is reachable only by a four- to five-hour trek from the nearest vehicle access point. November is late spring in the southern hemisphere, with the park's busiest season running from December to February. In 2024, more than 367,000 visitors came to the reserve, a rise of almost two-thirds from the previous year.
Chile's President Gabriel Boric offered condolences to the victims' families in what he called a 'tragedy', and praised rescue teams who 'worked tirelessly from the very beginning in the search, rescue, and now evacuation efforts'. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it was in contact with local authorities but could not yet confirm the woman's identity.
