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 of nine went missing on Monday amid heavy snowfall and winds reaching up to 120mph.
Four people were rescued alive from a remote area in the mountains, but authorities confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that two Mexicans, two Germans and a British woman had perished. A total of 24 personnel were involved in the search, including police, soldiers, mountain rescue teams and a search dog, but helicopters were grounded due to adverse weather.
José Antonio Ruiz, presidential delegate of the Magallanes region, said: '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 when conditions allowed safe helicopter operations.
The national park, featuring mountains, glaciers and rivers, is a popular destination for explorers. In 2024, over 367,000 tourists visited the reserve, a rise of nearly two-thirds from the previous year. Guillermo Ruiz, presidential delegate for the province of Ultima Esperanza, said the tourists became lost near the Los Perros camp, reachable only by a four- to five-hour trek from the nearest vehicle access point.
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'. A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: 'We are in contact with the local authorities following an incident in Chile.'
