British woman among five killed in Chile snowstorm

A British woman is among five people who have died in a snowstorm in Chilean Patagonia.

Victoria Bond, from Cornwall, was named by officials in Chile as among those killed in the tourist hotspot of Torres del Paine National Park, in the south of the country.

Along with Ms Bond, two German and two Mexican citizens died in the snowstorm, according to Jose Antonio Ruiz, the presidential delegate of the Magallanes region of southern Chile. Their bodies were found on Tuesday.

Adrian Jones, one of Ms Bond's colleagues, paid tribute to her as "lovable, witty and creative".

Mr Jones, who as chairman of the Roseland Festival in Cornwall worked alongside Ms Bond, said: "She was a doer... she had ideas and she saw them through.

"She will leave a huge hole in Portscatho... she lived in Newquay but she spent a lot of the time in Portscatho."

He described her as adventurous.

"Unbelievably sad as it may seem, she was doing what she lived life for," he said.

Intense snowfall

Chilean officials said the search for victims had ended and the focus was now on repatriating the bodies and liaising with foreign consulates.

Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font paid tribute to search and rescue teams who worked in "intense" snowfall and winds reaching speeds of up to 118mph (190km/h).

He said in a post on X: "To the families, friends, and loved ones of the five individuals of Mexican, German, and British nationalities who tragically lost their lives in the incident that occurred in Torres del Paine, I extend my deepest condolences.

"Know that you have the full support and collaboration of Chilean authorities and institutions during these difficult times."

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: "We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died following an incident in Chile and are in contact with the local authorities."