Peruvian Figures Show 27 Tourists Die Due to Cold, Snow Conditions

According to Peru21.pe from 2010 until the present 27 tourists have died and 21 have been wounded in Peru when participating in alpine activities in mountainous areas. The chief of the Rescue Unit of the High Mountain Division of National Police, Marco Carrera Torres says the most resent cases in 2011 were that of the French paraglider who died after a fall near the snow capped Huascaran Mountain and the Polish mountain climber who died last Sunday in a ravine on the Alpamayo Mountain. Carrera says around 8,000 tourists visit the glaciers of the Cordillera Blanca between June and September. He adds the tourists are usually Europeans and American who do not have the necessary safety equipment for mountain climbing. Carrera cautions professional athletes who come to Peru and do not take into account the climate, geography and height of the Cordillera Blanca.Read Article