At least five tourists have lost their lives in Greece while others are missing as the country is hit by sweltering temperatures, several Greek media reported on Tuesday. All are aged between 55 and 80 years old.
The first was a 67-year-old British journalist who disappeared in Simi, off the Turkish coast, at the beginning of June and whose body was found a few days later. He wandered off a trail and vanished in a place that was difficult for the search team to access, local authorities report.
Two other people died in Crete, an 80-year-old man who had gone for a walk alone and another in his 70s who collapsed on the beach.
On the small island of Mathraki, west of Corfu, a 55-year-old American lost his life while walking. In Samos, near the Turkish coast, the body of a 74-year-old Dutchman, who had gone for a walk, was found several days later. Another United States citizen, who went for a walk in Amorgos, has been missing for more than a week. Two elderly French people are also missing in Sikinos.
“Many tourists underestimate the effort associated with walking in direct sunlight”underlines a cardiologist from Athens, Thomas Giannoulis. “Temperatures can exceed 40°C. This increases the risk of dehydration and sunstroke. The older the person, the greater the danger.”he specifies.
The Greek press indicates that some of the victims left shortly after having lunch and drinking alcohol. Others did not have a map or a smartphone or were in inaccessible places with no network.
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