Greece American tourist a retired cop, 59, not returned from a solo hike, Amorgos Island, 11 June 24

[Herat]

A woman fanning someone on a bench in front of the Parthenon at the ancient Acropolis in Athens this month. Because of the extreme heat, Greek authorities took the unusual steps earlier this month to temporarily restrict visiting hours to the Acropolis and several other ancient sites.

Greek authorities said on Monday that the body of a missing German man was recovered near a gorge on the island of Crete, the latest in a series of fatal incidents involving tourists undertaking demanding hikes in the scorching heat.

At least 10 tourists have gone missing or been found dead this year in similar circumstances, according to Greek authorities. The country has experienced back-to-back heat waves earlier than usual this year, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) in many areas for several days in a row.

The 67-year-old man’s body was found in “rugged and inaccessible terrain” near the Tripiti Gorge in southwestern Crete, the fire service said in a statement. It was first spotted by a drone on Sunday evening. Early Monday, the fire service sent a helicopter, though it took responders several hours to reach the body.

In Greece, Another Tourist Found Dead Amid Scorching Heat Wave

At least 10 foreign tourists have gone missing or been found dead this year in Greece after going for a hike, often in scorching temperatures.

www.nytimes.com

Note that the Greek authorities said heat waves EARLIER than usual this year. As summer has just begun, there are months of potential heatwave temps ahead and the number of tourists who get into dangerous hyperthermia conditions will certainly climb above the 10 that are currently reported. (And that's just for the islands, not the mainland that tends to be even hotter).

 

[Herat]

"US Government rescue machine"

Perfect description of unrealistic expectations. I would point out that the niece of one of the missing French woman has expressed the same sentiments about the lack of apparent "rescue machine" action by the French government.

Your governments are better set up to repatriate your remains than organize a multi-million dollar rescue.

On an episode of National Geographic's TV series Trafficked with Mariana von Zellar her crew was caught in the middle of a violent coup in a west African country. They were 7 hours drive through the countryside to the major airport, but it was too dangerous to drive as violent outbreaks were occurring all over and that airport was not safe according to the US consulate there. A major part of that episode is her trying to arrange an evacuation for the crew members out of the country to safety. The US government could do very little to assist because of the complexity of the political situations involved. They managed to provide her the name of an organization that could provide extractions of people in high-danger terrorist and military action scenarios. They were finally air evacuated at a moment's notice from a dangerous local airport and even then the situation was a moment by moment event.

It's an eye-opener of an episode and the complexities of the danger they were in is far more interesting than the story they went to find. I believe it is quite accurate, as are her programs. She has a very high reputation as an international journalist with great research and important contacts.

 

[RickshawFan]

This is great insight and I really value the experience and knowledge you share with us. I have personal experience of the US consulate's level of assistance when ambushed and robbed while on a group trip in a very remote area of a sparsely=populated foreign country.

After checking to make sure none of us needed to be hospitalized, he let the local police force take over the incident investigation and the consulate's main job was to get us new US passports, which was not an easy task where we ended up.

Wow...this is exactly how it should work out. So glad you were safe.

 

[RickshawFan]

A woman fanning someone on a bench in front of the Parthenon at the ancient Acropolis in Athens this month. Because of the extreme heat, Greek authorities took the unusual steps earlier this month to temporarily restrict visiting hours to the Acropolis and several other ancient sites.

Greek authorities said on Monday that the body of a missing German man was recovered near a gorge on the island of Crete, the latest in a series of fatal incidents involving tourists undertaking demanding hikes in the scorching heat.

At least 10 tourists have gone missing or been found dead this year in similar circumstances, according to Greek authorities. The country has experienced back-to-back heat waves earlier than usual this year, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) in many areas for several days in a row.

The 67-year-old man’s body was found in “rugged and inaccessible terrain” near the Tripiti Gorge in southwestern Crete, the fire service said in a statement. It was first spotted by a drone on Sunday evening. Early Monday, the fire service sent a helicopter, though it took responders several hours to reach the body.

In Greece, Another Tourist Found Dead Amid Scorching Heat Wave

At least 10 foreign tourists have gone missing or been found dead this year in Greece after going for a hike, often in scorching temperatures.

www.nytimes.com

That over-heated tourist at the Parthenon isn't carrying any water. And those rocks at the Parthenon radiate heat. And it's not just about the rock composition! Look how they've been polished by centuries of feet.

At least there are tourist services when you get off the Parthenon hill, so a dizzy person doesn't have to go far at all. But, on these islands, there's no relief, and people are far away from a safe place.

 

[Herat]

Wow...this is exactly how it should work out. So glad you were safe.

That is one reason I always have a full medical evacuation insurance and crisis assistance policy in effect when I travel.
(MedJet) No guarantee there will not be problems and you will not be sent direct to the Mayo Clinic, but it's a reputable start to be able to get assistance lined up.

 

[Herat]

That over-heated tourist at the Parthenon isn't carrying any water. And those rocks at the Parthenon radiate heat. And it's not just about the rock composition! Look how they've been polished by centuries of feet.

At least there are tourist services when you get off the Parthenon hill, so a dizzy person doesn't have to go far at all. But, on these islands, there's no relief, and people are far away from a safe place.

Yeah, I noticed that. There is some shade there, at least sit that women on some rocks that have been and are still in the shade.

 

[RickshawFan]

"US Government rescue machine"

Perfect description of unrealistic expectations. I would point out that the niece of one of the missing French woman has expressed the same sentiments about the lack of apparent "rescue machine" action by the French government.

Your governments are better set up to repatriate your remains than organize a multi-million dollar rescue.

On an episode of National Geographic's TV series Trafficked with Mariana von Zellar her crew was caught in the middle of a violent coup in a west African country. They were 7 hours drive through the countryside to the major airport, but it was too dangerous to drive as violent outbreaks were occurring all over and that airport was not safe according to the US consulate there. A major part of that episode is her trying to arrange an evacuation for the crew members out of the country to safety. The US government could do very little to assist because of the complexity of the political situations involved. They managed to provide her the name of an organization that could provide extractions of people in high-danger terrorist and military action scenarios. They were finally air evacuated at a moment's notice from a dangerous local airport and even then the situation was a moment by moment event.

It's an eye-opener of an episode and the complexities of the danger they were in is far more interesting than the story they went to find. I believe it is quite accurate, as are her programs. She has a very high reputation as an international journalist with great research and important contacts.

I was traveling solo in Greece on a public bus (no other tourists) off-the-beaten track when Greece went to war with Turkey. The whole country changed in an instant. All the buses were commandeered.

I'll have to look up that violent west African coup. I might have been there....

Moments later: ummmm...yes?

 

[RickshawFan]

Yeah, I noticed that. There is some shade there, at least sit that women on some rocks that have been and are still in the shade.

The sun is angled in that Parthenon photo, too, so not the heat of day. But all complicated by smog: that's Athens!

 

[Herat]

I was traveling solo in Greece on a public bus (no other tourists) off-the-beaten track when Greece went to war with Turkey. The whole country changed in an instant. All the buses were commandeered.

I'll have to look up that violent west African coup. I might have been there....

It is easy as an over-confident tourist to underestimate the problems you can get into overseas. Heck, no one would have reasonably imagined the world-wide freeze on flights in the aftermath of 911 and then the world-wide lockdown during COVID. It's always better to get out early and have a good story than to wait as things dissemble around you.

The US State Dept does provide the travel updates, but they are intentionally broad and can't substitute for local knowledge and monitoring day to day situations.

 

[Herat]

The sun is angled in that Parthenon photo, too, so not the heat of day. But all complicated by smog: that's Athens!

I get a headache just looking at that. I know what that feels like.

Day 14 of the search for Eric Albert Calibet is over without any leads reported.

Hoping that he will be found on June 25.

 

[RickshawFan]

It is easy as an over-confident tourist to underestimate the problems you can get into overseas. Heck, no one would have reasonably imagined the world-wide freeze on flights in the aftermath of 911 and then the world-wide lockdown during COVID. It's always better to get out early and have a good story than to wait as things dissemble around you.

The US State Dept does provide the travel updates, but they are intentionally broad and can't substitute for local knowledge and monitoring day to day situations.

See my edit on the African coup country lol.

 

[RickshawFan]

It is easy as an over-confident tourist to underestimate the problems you can get into overseas. Heck, no one would have reasonably imagined the world-wide freeze on flights in the aftermath of 911 and then the world-wide lockdown during COVID. It's always better to get out early and have a good story than to wait as things dissemble around you.

The US State Dept does provide the travel updates, but they are intentionally broad and can't substitute for local knowledge and monitoring day to day situations.

The embassies have to do a lot of on-the-ground schmoozing and data-gathering to get the real pulse in order to anticipate the travel situation, too. This is an important service for tourists that requires intensive work from diplomats.
IMO travelers have no idea how much info is needed to protect them in this way.

 

[Herat]

The embassies have to do a lot of on-the-ground schmoozing and data-gathering to get the real pulse in order to anticipate the travel situation, too. This is an important service for tourists that requires intensive work from diplomats.
IMO travelers have no idea how much info is needed to protect them in this way.

There is a difference between what the US State Dept can put on it's Travel website and what the local consulate can disclose or advise for Americans while in the particular country. So yes, they have very valuable local information and that is why there is a brief interview or review of any incident you are involved in so as to see how this meshes with their local intelligence network. Such as: Don't travel beyond X region but Y region is safe.

 

[Herat]

I hope that people are getting the point that when your are 50-60+, no amount of exercise, diet, fasting, superfoods, medications, vitamins, anti-oxidants, operations, hormone treatments, colonic irrigations, meditations, yoga, DNA re-working or other such is going to turn you back into being 30 years old.

It may ameliorate disease progress and lessen pain but there is a degenerative, pathologic process going on that will get to your vital centers and can become fatally unmasked in high-stress situations.

And, tragically, prior knowledge of a trail cannot protect even a 30 year old in situations of hyperthermia and dehydration.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/18/us/california-family-yosemite-final-moments-trnd/index.html

 

[RickshawFan]

I hope that people are getting the point that when your are 50-60+, no amount of exercise, diet, fasting, superfoods, medications, vitamins, anti-oxidants, operations, hormone treatments, colonic irrigations, meditations, yoga, DNA re-working or other such is going to turn you back into being 30 years old.

It may ameliorate disease progress and lessen pain but there is a degenerative, pathologic process going on that will get to your vital centers and can become fatally unmasked in high-stress situations.

And, tragically, prior knowledge of a trail cannot protect even a 30 year old in situations of hyperthermia and dehydration.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/18/us/california-family-yosemite-final-moments-trnd/index.html

Some of those items would actually exacerbate your vulnerability, too, e.g. certain medications have warnings not to hang out in the sun, some medications are diuretics, etc...

 

[Herat]

Alcohol and caffeine also dehydrate you.

I suspect that part of the lovely Greek island holiday is imbibing more alcohol than one would at home and relying on caffeine in the am to toggle you out of your last night's over-imbibing, without a real conscious attempt at re-hydration.

 

[Herat]

And another death:

British tourist dies of heart attack on Mount Vesuvius

Mark John Irwin, 56, collapsed during the long ascent to the volcano’s crater as a spate of tourist deaths hits the scorching Mediterranean

www.thetimes.com

Naples was about 80 yesterday with 71% humidity. Add the cardiac stress of a 2 hour stairmaster-like climb up Mt. Vesuvius

 

[RickshawFan]

Alcohol and caffeine also dehydrate you.

I suspect that part of the lovely Greek island holiday is imbibing more alcohol than one would at home and relying on caffeine in the am to toggle you out of your last night's over-imbibing, without a real conscious attempt at re-hydration.

Definitely my strategy when in Greece. Beer would slake your thirst.

 

[RickshawFan]

And another death:

British tourist dies of heart attack on Mount Vesuvius

Mark John Irwin, 56, collapsed during the long ascent to the volcano’s crater as a spate of tourist deaths hits the scorching Mediterranean

www.thetimes.com

Naples was about 80 yesterday with 71% humidity. Add the cardiac stress of a 2 hour stairmaster-like climb up Mt. Vesuvius

This one's not behind a paywall:

British man dies of suspected heart attack on Mount Vesuvius in heatwave

The 56-year-old tourist was visiting the volcano near Naples with his family as temperatures in Italy reached 40C

www.theguardian.com

 

[Herat]

This one's not behind a paywall:

British man dies of suspected heart attack on Mount Vesuvius in heatwave

The 56-year-old tourist was visiting the volcano near Naples with his family as temperatures in Italy reached 40C

www.theguardian.com

His wife is reported as stating he had a cardiac operation 2-3 months ago so he already has a high-risk condition and climbing 4200 ft Mr. Vesuvius from sea level may not have been prudent at any time of the year.