Four experienced hikers were killed on Christmas Day when an avalanche struck as they attempted to reach the Korakas summit in the Vardousia mountains, in what is being described as one of Greece’s most tragic mountain accidents in recent years.
The recovery operation has now been completed, and the victims’ bodies have been transferred to the Athens forensic service for autopsies.
Initial assessments suggest the climbers, three men and one woman, may have died from asphyxiation, as their bodies showed no obvious traumatic injuries after being buried under several metres of snow.
The four were located late on December 26 near the summit and close to one another, with rescuers noting they were found almost embracing, indicating the avalanche struck suddenly.
Authorities believe the group made a last-minute decision to follow a more demanding and exposed route toward Korakas, the highest peak in the range.
Their tracks disappeared abruptly, confirming avalanche suspicions. Due to the difficult terrain, a helicopter was required to airlift the bodies to Itea before they were transferred to hospital.
The commander of the 7th EMAK rescue unit told public broadcaster ERT that the removal effort was painstaking and gradual, stressing that even experienced mountaineers must exercise constant caution due to the unpredictability of mountain conditions.
The Hellenic Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing (EOOA) expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, explaining that the avalanche was caused by fresh snow settling on an older frozen layer, combined with a brief period of milder weather that destabilised the slope near the Koprisies area.
The federation also acknowledged the contribution of mountain guides and instructors who assisted in the search and rescue effort.
The Vardousia mountains, part of the southern extension of the Pindus range in Central Greece, include the 2,495-metre Korakas peak, the second-highest summit in the region after Mount Giona.
Source: Tovima.
