A British woman is among five dead after a team of hikers got lost during a blizzard in southern Chile.
The Cornwall-based PR called Victoria Bond was trekking with a group across the Torres del Paine National Park in the Magallanes Region, when they were caught in extreme weather.
Victoria, who is believed to be 30, had posted a video taken by another British member of their group of their progress before the tragedy.
They sent out a desperate SOS message on Facebook requesting help after they became snowed in with five hikers missing.
It showed footage of her and the other trekkers crossing raging rivers under drizzle and grey skies.
The British tourist, who posts on Instagram as thegingerbreadfox and referenced Victoria in his post with the initials VB,: wrote: ‘Day 1 of the Patagonia O-Trek: also known as 15km of why the f**k did I fly 8,000 when I could’ve walked round Bodmin Moor in a light drizzle?
‘It pissed it down from the first step, the trail rebranded itself as an Amazon tributary, and at one point I’m fairly certain I saw a trout overtake me. Five river crossings and only one bloody bridge. Should’ve brought a canoe and a priest.
‘Morale at an all-time low… and THEN the skies suddenly cleared, the valley cracked open like a tin of peaches, and we stumbled into camp with trench foot.
‘Dinner was gourmet – rehydrated slop in a pouch while VB — or very own Patagonia Princess — dined on first-class full board because she paid POUNDS 900 not to carry a bag.
‘We’re also raising money for Movember, for men’s mental health and suicide prevention.’
Two German nationals – a man and a woman – and two Mexican citizens have been confirmed as dead in the incident.
They were reportedly killed by a fierce snowstorm on Monday, with wind speeds exceeding 120mph.
Chilean president Gabriel Boric wrote on X: ‘Regarding the unfortunate accident involving foreign tourists in Torres del Paine National Park, I would like to acknowledge the teams from Carabineros, the Army, Andean Rescue and Conaf, who have worked tirelessly from the very beginning in the search, rescue and now evacuation of the people lost in the area, amidst heavy snowfall and winds of up to 190 kilometers per hour.’
“To the families, friends and loved ones of the five people of Mexican, German and British nationalities, who sadly died in the tragedy that occurred in Torres del Paine, I send my deepest condolences,” he added.
It is understood that the group were a party of seven and that two other hikers have been found alive, bringing an end to the search for survivors.
According to José Antonio Ruiz, the presidential delegate of Magallanes, the tourists became lost near the park’s Los Perros camp, which is only reachable by a four to five-hour walk from the nearest area accessible to vehicles.
He said: ‘For people unfamiliar with the national park, it is a vast area, very difficult to access, whether by vehicle or truck.
‘We are in the process of evacuation and consular procedures due to the nationalities of these people.’
Concerns were raised after a tourist reportedly sent an SOS message to a Facebook group for the Torres del Paine at 8.30pm last night.
The message said hikers had been stuck on the Circuit ‘O’, reporting that people were trapped on the popular Paine Massif Circuit.
It read: ‘We are at Los Perros camp in the Torres del Paine.
‘People were climbing the John Gardner earlier today and the weather has turned very bad. We are snowed in and people are still out on the pass.
‘Very strong wind > 120 mph. They left at 6am this morning. We have sent out 20-25 people to rescue people who are still missing.
‘We believe there are at least 5 people who have not been found, one is being rescued now but she is very unresponsive.
‘They are on the side between Los Perros and the top of the pass.’
‘We need urgent help, climbers and rescuers are on the risk of dying based on our current situation.
It continued: ‘We have sent everybody we can up the mountain but still need more helpers.
‘It is very difficult to get information about rescue services here. Please contact me if you can help.’
The Foreign Office have been approached for comment.
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