Australia Reports Third Hiking Fatality in Just One Week
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Sydney Dec 31 (NationPress) A man has tragically died while hiking in the southeast Australian island state of Tasmania, resulting in the third reported death of a hiker in just one week.
Tasmania Police released a statement on Tuesday indicating that a man in his 30s from the mainland state of Victoria succumbed after falling from a height while navigating the Southwest National Park on Monday.
The incident occurred as he attempted to reach the summit of the 1,225 metre-high Federation Peak around 11 a.m. local time that day, according to Tasmania Police Inspector Colin Riley during a press briefing.
His two female companions raised the alarm, prompting a search and rescue operation that commenced on Monday afternoon but was paused overnight. Aerial and ground teams resumed their efforts on Tuesday, successfully locating the man’s body at 9 a.m. local time, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
The deceased was subsequently airlifted by helicopter, along with his two hiking partners who were also evacuated.
This incident marks the third hiking-related death in Tasmania during the holiday season.
A bushwalker in his 60s was discovered deceased in Cradle Mountain National Park in northwestern Tasmania on Christmas Day, while a fellow hiker found the body of a 54-year-old in the Southwest National Park on Saturday.
Authorities suspect that both of these deaths may have resulted from a medical episode.
Additionally, two men in their 20s were rescued on Christmas Eve after encountering difficulties while hiking near Federation Peak on December 23.
Riley emphasized on Tuesday that the Eastern Arthur Range Traverse, which encompasses Federation Peak, is among Tasmania's most demanding hikes.
"It is extremely hazardous, steep, and slippery, with weather conditions that can shift rapidly," he stated.
In the mainland state of New South Wales, a search operation has been ongoing for a hiker missing in Kosciuszko National Park, located over 350 km southwest of Sydney, now entering its fifth day.
The search for 23-year-old Hadi Nazari from Melbourne commenced after he failed to meet friends at a designated campground in the national park on December 26.
