Visit Isles of ScillySurvivors of a deadly snowstorm in Patagonia that claimed the life of a British woman want new safety measures introduced to stop more “senseless loss of life” in the future.
Five people, including Victoria Bond from Cornwall, died in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, which is a popular destination for hikers, on 17 November.
Chile’s government, the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf), travel agency Vertice and staff at Las Torres hotel have been criticised by a group of survivors, who have called for measures including more park rangers at the site and a “clear emergency plan” to be set up.
The BBC has contacted Chile’s government, Conaf, Vertice and Las Torres for comment.
Survivors who issued the statement included Newquay residents Christian Aldridge, Hayley Newnham, Tom Player and Matt Smith, who were all part of the same hiking group as Ms Bond.
The survivors said they were left to self-organise search and rescue parties as no park rangers were present on the day the storm hit the region.
They said no-one should have been allowed to visit the John Gardner Pass, which features on the park’s O Circuit hiking route, but they were “encouraged to” by Vertice staff.
“We want to make it clear that this was a terrible, avoidable tragedy,” the statement said.
“We call on the Chilean government, parks staff [Conaf] and the private concessionaires [Vértice and Las Torres] within the park to implement some simple safety measures to ensure that this senseless loss of life never happens again.”
‘Incredibly traumatic’
The survivors said they would like the authorities in Chile to increase the number of Conaf rangers at the park who could provide daily advice and weather updates on each section of the O Circuit.
They said an emergency plan known to Conaf, Vertice, Las Torres and hikers should also be available, including having accessible medical and retrieval equipment and treatment options for hypothermia in the park.
The group also called for a “centralised communication channel” for the park to be used in emergencies and a hiker log at every campsite along the route.
Survivors also called for a safety video for tourists hiking the W and O Circuits and a move to ensure staff at Refugios – mountain huts or lodges which provide shelter – had basic emergency training.
Mr Aldridge said survivors had been supporting each other “through the shock” of the incident, which he described as “incredibly traumatic”.
He said the group was not “looking to blame individuals”, but they wanted a “clear, honest review of safety systems” in the park.
“If something positive can come from such a horrific loss, it would be ensuring this doesn’t happen to anyone else,” Mr Aldridge said.
He added the group he was part of from Cornwall were all “devastated, exhausted and still trying to process everything” as they prepare to get home on Wednesday or Thursday.
“There’s a huge amount of grief, guilt, relief and disbelief all mixed together,” he said.
