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 located on Friday evening following a large-scale search in the mountainous region of Fokida, according to Greek state broadcaster ERT.
Fire service teams discovered the bodies partially buried on a steep and inaccessible slope near the summit of Korakas peak, which is at an elevation of about 2,000 meters (6,561 feet). Rescue officials indicated that the group had been swept away by the avalanche.
Authorities revealed that the hikers began their ascent in favorable weather, but conditions quickly deteriorated due to the altitude and difficult terrain.
Vasilis Vathrakogiannis, a spokesperson for the Hellenic Fire Service, noted that the alarm was raised by a friend when the group did not return as expected.
Weather conditions were extremely difficult, with low temperatures and poor visibility, he explained, adding that these factors made it challenging for drones and helicopters to conduct searches.
A fire service ground team ultimately found the bodies, including that of a woman who had accompanied one of the men but was not expected to participate in the climb.
Recovery efforts commenced on Saturday, described as an extremely challenging operation. Initial success included airlifting one of the bodies, while efforts continued to retrieve the remaining three using a winch from a nearby plateau.
Haris Asariotakis, head of the Hellenic Rescue Team operatives at the scene, remarked on the arduous location, which is approximately three hours from the village of Athanasios Diakos at an altitude of 2,000 meters. If helicopters are unable to reach the area, rescue teams will descend on foot along with firefighters and mountain guides.
Additional reporting by Kostas Koukoumakas
