The bodies of four climbers buried by an avalanche were found on Mount Vardousia in the region of Phocis, Central Greece, after a long and complex search operation that began after their disappearance on Christmas Day, the online edition of the newspaper "Kathimerini" reports, BTA reported.
The four climbers - three men and one woman - set off on Christmas morning from the village of Athanasios Diakos along a mountain route to Mount Korakos, which is 2,495 meters high.
Late in the evening, all contact with them was lost, with the mobile connection being interrupted due to lack of signal. Authorities were notified shortly after midnight by a friend of the group who had not joined the climb.
A major search and rescue operation was immediately launched, involving about 30 firefighters, mountain rescuers, a special tracked vehicle, drones and a helicopter. After a lengthy search in adverse weather conditions and difficult terrain, rescuers first found the climbers' car and then the bodies buried by the avalanche.
The four climbers were found close to each other, indicating that the group had no time to react when the snow suddenly covered them, the publication notes. The bodies are expected to be transported by helicopter due to the considerable distance from the nearest road to the site. According to friends of the deceased, they were experienced mountaineers.