Christian Aldridge, Victoria Bond, and three other British friends traveled to Chile to conquer the O Circuit, a trek of about 130 km in Torres del Paine National Park. They joined a group of about 30 tourists. On 17/11, four days after starting their journey, the group encountered a severe snowstorm while crossing John Garner Pass. With wind gusts exceeding 190 km/h, the entire group decided to return to a nearby camp for shelter.
Christian described the storm as terrifying. The winds were so strong that breathing became difficult, forcing everyone to sit down, curl up, and turn their backs to the wind to avoid being blown away.
Upon returning to the camp, Christian realized that five tourists from the larger group, including Victoria Bond, were missing. He immediately reported this to the national park staff but was denied urgent assistance.
"They told us to step back because they were busy processing new guests and preparing dinner," Christian recounted.
The tourists formed a self-rescue team of three people; Christian could not join due to a prior severe injury. The volunteer team found one female tourist still clinging to life but who had suffered cardiac arrest due to severe hypothermia. Despite resuscitation efforts by a doctor in the volunteer group, she did not survive. Two other victims were found deceased on the mountain, but retrieving their bodies was too dangerous, so they had to be left behind.
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Victim Victoria Bond. Photo: Independent |
By 19/11, professional rescue teams found two more bodies, including Victoria Bond. Christian, meanwhile, managed to walk out of the park on his own, exhausted, injured, and deeply traumatized.
"Why weren't we given timely assistance? Why weren't we evacuated from this place?" he questioned.
British tourists Jack Gunter and Sophie Collier, also caught in the storm, described the park management as "truly terrible". Park entry tickets were difficult to obtain, yet safety was hardly guaranteed.
The National Forest Corporation of Chile (CONAF) has launched an internal investigation, pledging to review all safety protocols. However, for the survivors and victims' families, these measures come too late.
"We are alive, but our hearts are broken. We will forever wonder if we could have done anything different to save Victoria and the others," Christian stated.
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A section of the O Circuit landscape. Photo: Paria |
The O Circuit is a trekking journey spanning about 126-130 km around the Cordillera del Paine mountain range. It takes 7-9 days to complete and is considered one of South America's most scenic routes. This extended version of the popular W Circuit (about 70 km) covers less crowded, rear sections of the park with terrain primarily consisting of dirt trails and light rocks, demanding good physical fitness.
The peak season, from mid-November to mid-March (Southern Hemisphere summer), is ideal as snow melts, trails open, and closure risks are lower. However, strong winds and rain remain constant threats.
Entry tickets to Torres del Paine National Park (managed by CONAF) for 2025 cost about 46,200 CLP (49 USD) for foreign visitors staying more than three days and must be purchased online in advance.
Hoai Anh (According to Yahoo, BBC)
