Another tourist was found dead in Greece during a scorching heatwave

Greek authorities said on Monday that the body of a missing German man had been recovered near a ravine on the island of Crete, the latest in a series of fatal accidents involving tourists undertaking strenuous hikes in the scorching heat.

At least 10 tourists have disappeared or been found dead in similar circumstances this year, according to Greek authorities. The country experienced two consecutive heatwaves earlier than usual this year, with temperatures in many areas exceeding 38 degrees Celsius for several days in a row.

The body of the 67-year-old man was found in “rugged and inaccessible terrain” near the Tripiti Gorge in southwest Crete, the fire service said in a statement. It was first spotted by a drone on Sunday evening. Early Monday, the fire service sent a helicopter, but it took emergency services several hours to reach the body.

As of Monday, neither the man’s name nor the cause of death had been released.

According to Constantina Dimoglidou, a police spokeswoman, the man had contacted his wife early Sunday afternoon to say he had run out of water and was feeling ill. He did not know his location, but authorities were able to track his cellphone signal.

The Tripiti Gorge is a challenging hike that is usually only attempted by experienced hikers, Ms Dimoglidou said.

Monday’s discovery was the latest in a series of deaths among tourists in the past month.

An 80-year-old Belgian, a Dutchman and a Frenchwoman, both 70, each died during separate hiking tours on the island of Crete.

Another 74-year-old Dutch hiker was found dead on the Greek island of Samos.

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On June 9, the remains of a well-known British medical journalist and documentary filmmaker named Michael Mosley were found on the island of Symi, after he disappeared while walking in extreme heat.

At least three other tourists are still missing after hiking, including Albert Calibet, a 59-year-old citizen with dual US and French nationality who has been missing from the Aegean island of Amorgos since June 11. Authorities are still searching for two French women, aged 73 and 64, who disappeared on the island of Sikinos on June 14.

Any hope of rescuing the missing hikers is fading after so many days, Ms Dimogliou said, and the prospect of even finding their remains is becoming more uncertain with each passing day as decomposition progresses ever more rapidly in the intense heat.

Hikers getting lost in the heat is nothing new, said Ms Dimoglidou, but they are not often found dead in ravines. “This year, more people seem to have lost their bearings in the intense heat,” said the police spokeswoman.

On days when extreme heat is forecast, Greek authorities typically warn elderly citizens and people with health problems to stay indoors, but these are guidelines and there are usually no bans on walking or entering historical sites.

However, due to the extreme heat, the Greek authorities closed many schools in Athens. earlier this month and restricted visiting hours at several ancient sites, including the Acropolis.

The search for missing hikers takes place while the Greek fire service is simultaneously busy extinguishing forest fires in several parts of the country. Days of scorching temperatures, dried-out bushes and Strong winds have created a catastrophic atmosphere and fueled fires on the Greek islands and mainland.