In brief
Four hikers, including three men and one woman, have been found deceased in the Vardousia Mountains of central Greece following an avalanche. The group had set out in favorable weather conditions, but deteriorating weather led to the tragic incident. Recovery efforts were hampered by challenging terrain and weather conditions.
Four hikers who went missing on Christmas Day have been found dead after being buried by an avalanche in the snow-covered Vardousia Mountains in central Greece.
The bodies of three men and a woman were discovered on Friday evening after a large-scale search in the mountainous region of Fokida, according to Greek state broadcaster ERT.
Fire service teams located the bodies partially covered by snow on a steep and inaccessible slope near the summit of Korakas peak, at an altitude of about 2,000m (6,561ft). Rescue officials stated that the group was swept away by an avalanche.
Authorities reported that the hikers began their ascent in favorable weather, but conditions quickly deteriorated due to the altitude and the area's challenging terrain.
Vasilis Vathrakogiannis, spokesperson for the Hellenic Fire Service, informed the BBC that the alarm was raised by a friend after the hikers failed to return as expected.
Weather conditions were extremely difficult, with low temperatures and poor visibility, he said, which complicated the search and recovery efforts using drones and helicopters.
Recovery operations continued into Saturday, described as an incredibly challenging effort. One body was successfully airlifted, while efforts remained focused on moving the other three to a nearby plateau for recovery using a winch.
Haris Asariotakis, head of the Hellenic Rescue Team at the scene, reported the location was particularly challenging, about three hours from the village of Athanasios Diakos at an altitude of 2,000m. If helicopters were unable to operate, they would descend on foot accompanied by firefighters and mountain guides.
