A tragic outcome has been confirmed for three mountaineers who went missing on Christmas Day in the Vardousia mountains of Greece. Rescue teams discovered the three men, aged between 30 and 35, unconscious and buried under an avalanche. A woman was also found with them.

The friends had set out from the village of Athanasios Diakos on the morning of December 25 to follow a mountainous trail in a remote and difficult part of the region. After leaving, they had no further contact, prompting extensive search efforts.

Rescue operations spanned two days and involved firefighting teams from Amfissa and Lidoriki, the Mountain Rescue Team of the 7th EMAC from Lamia, and a specialized drone unit from Larissa for aerial surveillance in hard-to-reach areas. Their vehicle had been located the previous day, but no sign of the hikers was found until today. Their mobile phones were out of service, making communication impossible.

The president of the Athanasios Diakos community highlighted the extreme conditions that hampered the search, including freezing temperatures, low visibility, and harsh mountain weather. Rescue teams had hoped the hikers had found shelter, but the operation ultimately ended in tragedy.