British woman among five killed in Chile snowstorm

Victoria Bond is among five killed in a snowstorm in Chile

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

Victoria Bond, a public relations consultant from Cornwall, was named by authorities 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.

Visit Isles of Scilly chairman Andrew Sells said the organisation was "utterly devastated" by Ms Bond's death.

Visit Isles of Scilly said Ms Bond had headed up its public relations for more than six years and was on a "trip of lifetime" with friends in Argentina and Chile.

She was out hiking when she became trapped in the storm, the organisation said.

Mr Sells said she had "worked tirelessly" in her role to promote the islands, 28 miles off the Cornish coast, and was an "integral part" of the team.

He said: "She was always a joy to work with, and I cannot praise her work too highly. She is an enormous loss to the community."

Euan Rodger, executive vice-chairman of Visit Isles of Scilly, said the organisation was "heartbroken".

"She brought life, energy, and an infectious enthusiasm to every project, making her a true joy to work alongside," he said.

'Leaves a huge hole'

Adrian Jones, who worked with Ms Bond promoting the Roseland Festival in Cornwall, paid tribute to her as "lovable, witty and creative".

"She was a doer... she had ideas and she saw them through," he said.

"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."