4 foreign tourists lost their lives in Albania in May, in explorations without professional guides

2023-06-01 15:33:46, Kronika CNA

4 foreign tourists lost their lives in Albania in May, in explorations without

The police of Gjirokastra announced on Thursday that a German tourist lost her life and her husband managed to survive during an exploration in the Langarica canyon, in the south of Albania.

According to the police, "both German tourists, 72 years old and 66 years old, were visiting the Langarica canyon on foot, and due to the large flow of water, the German citizen was swept away by the current and consequently drowned, while her husband was able to come ashore.”

According to preliminary assessments, the two tourists were without guides and without professional clothing, while the Langarica Canyon is considered very dangerous to explore in this season due to the flows from the rains.

A few days ago, a similar case happened in the Osum Canyon in Berat, where a Dutch tourist lost his life, while his wife was found in danger of life in a state of hypothermia.

Only in the month of May in Albania, four foreign tourists lost their lives during explorations without professional guides, while several cases of lost tourists seeking help in difficult terrain have been reported by the police.

The Albanian Rafting Federation expressed its concern and assessed as an emergency situation in the canyons of Albania the fact that tourists without professional guides and without safety equipment such as vests, diving suits and rescue ropes, radios, etc., carry out exploratory visits.

Fedarata requested that all persons, local or foreign, who do sports and adventure activities such as rafting, kayaking and canyoning, refer to licensed professional guides.

The Federation requested the cooperation of all central and local institutions, as well as, in particular, all tourist agencies and operators, to inform foreign tourists about the dangers of entering the canyon without the relevant information and equipment.

The Federation called on the responsible institutions at the central and local level to equip all natural tourism and adventure sports destinations with information boards about the level of difficulty and the necessary professional equipment required for exploration or adventure in certain areas./ VOA