Alpha News

Tragedy in Vardousia Mountains: The Scenario Behind the Deadly Avalanche

Published December 29, 2025, 08:33

A fatal avalanche in the Vardousia Mountains resulted in the deaths of four mountaineers, causing shock and raising questions about the circumstances of the tragic event. According to the president of the Athanasios Diakos community, Kostas Mastrokostopoulos, one possible scenario is that the mountaineers unintentionally triggered the avalanche due to ground conditions (fresh snow over ice) and possibly due to echoes. The weather conditions were ideal for mountaineering, but also for creating an avalanche. Mr. Mastrokostopoulos emphasized that the mountaineers chose a "wrong" path and that the search began late in the afternoon, reducing the chances of immediate rescue. One of the mountaineers urgently needed to return to Athens due to the death of his grandfather, which likely influenced the choice of route. According to initial forensic estimates, death was caused by asphyxiation, as the mountaineers were buried under the snow. The ascent to Korakas peak takes about three hours, and the descent another three. Mr. Mastrokostopoulos expressed concern about access for rescue vehicles in the event of an accident in the area, due to traffic difficulties. The tragedy in Vardousia raises questions about the safety of mountaineers and the need for better information about the risks involved in mountain routes.