Another tourist found dead during heatwave in Greece

HISTORY: The Greek island of Corfu attracts hordes of tourists in summer, many of whom choose to hike dusty mountain trails in search of deserted beaches on the Ionian Sea coast.

But a period of unusually hot weather is raising new safety concerns.

On Monday, police said, a 55-year-old American was found dead on the island of Mathraki – the third dead tourist within a week.

:: 6 June 2024

British television presenter Michael Mosley disappeared on the Aegean island of Symi in early June, prompting a search using helicopters, dogs and drones. His body was found on June 9.

He had been taking a walk in high temperatures before he disappeared.

A 74-year-old Dutch tourist was found dead on the island of Samos on Saturday and two hikers were found dead on Crete on June 5.

Visitors here in Corfu told Reuters they were aware of the risks and had taken precautions.

“It is very dangerous to walk in the sun, but you need to wear sunscreen and drink plenty of water to stay safe.”

“The heat is also very, very hot, with the sun like today, and I heard that a man died because of this heat.”

Temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius earlier this month, just as the holiday season began on Greece’s remote beaches, ancient sites and mountain trails.

Ioanna Fotopoulou is a coordinator at the Greek Red Cross and said that many holidaymakers are not aware of the risks:

“They (the tourists) all get carried away, they are enthusiastic, they have great confidence in their physical condition, they believe that they can go beyond their limits if they are fit, if they are not taking medication, if they do not have any illness, and they often test their limits.”

Rescue teams were still searching for three other people who went missing due to the high temperatures in Greece: two French women aged 73 and 64 on the island of Sikinos and a 59-year-old US police officer on the island of Amorgos.