The body of a missing German man has been found near a gorge on the island of Crete, Greek authorities said Monday, the latest deadly incident among tourists as they embarked on a grueling hike in sweltering heat.
At least 10 tourists have gone missing or been found dead in similar circumstances this year, according to Greek authorities. The country has experienced successive heat waves earlier than usual this year, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) for several days in many areas.
The fire department said in a statement that the body of the 67-year-old man was found in “rugged and inaccessible terrain” near the Tripiti Gorge in southwest Crete. A drone first spotted the body on Sunday evening. The fire department sent a helicopter on Monday morning, but it took several hours for rescuers to reach the body.
The man’s name and cause of death had not been released as of Monday.
The man contacted his wife early Sunday afternoon, saying he had no water and was not feeling well, according to police spokeswoman Constantina Dimoglidou. He did not know where he was, but authorities tracked his cellphone signal.
Ms Dimoglidu said traversing the Tripiti Gorge was a difficult journey that was usually undertaken only by experienced trekkers.
Monday’s discovery is the latest in a string of tourist deaths over the past month.
An 80-year-old Belgian man, a 70-year-old Dutch man and a French woman died while hiking in Crete.
Another Dutch hiker, 74, was found dead on the Greek island of Samos.
On June 9, the body of Michael Mosley, a renowned British medical journalist and documentary maker who went missing while walking in extremely hot weather, was found on Symi Island.
At least three other hiking tourists are missing, including Albert Calibet, a 59-year-old American-French dual national who has been missing from the Aegean island of Amorgos since June 11. Authorities are still searching for two French women, 73 and 64, who disappeared on June 14 from the island of Sikinos.
Ms. Dimogliou said that after so many days, hopes of rescuing the missing hikers were fading, and the prospect of even finding their remains was becoming increasingly uncertain as bodies decomposed faster and faster in the scorching heat.
Ms Dimoglidu said it was not new for hikers to become disoriented, but it was unusual for them to die in the gorge. “This year, it seems more people have become disoriented in the heat,” a police spokesman said.
On days when extreme heat is forecast, Greek authorities typically issue warnings to the elderly and people with existing health problems to stay indoors. But these are only guidelines and do not usually prohibit hiking or visiting historical sites.
However, Greek authorities closed many schools in Athens earlier this month due to extreme heat and restricted visiting hours at several ancient monuments, including the Acropolis.
The search for the missing hikers came as Greek firefighters scrambled to put out wildfires in several parts of the country, fueled by days of tinderbox conditions fueled by high temperatures, withered brush and strong winds on Greek islands and the mainland.
