A tourist and her mountain guide have been found dead after vanishing during a trek across a remote glacier.
Abril Melina Marino Pereira and experienced mountaineer Emiliano Feidas disappeared while hiking on the Vinciguerra Glacier near Ushuaia, Argentina, prompting a major search operation.
Rescuers discovered their bodies on Tuesday (2 June) afternoon in the upper section of the glacier after the pair failed to return from the challenging route.
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Authorities believe they may have suffered a fall in a technical area of the trek, although investigations into the tragedy are ongoing.
Abril, a waitress from Maldonado, Uruguay, had been exploring Argentina’s southernmost region when the accident happened on Monday (1 June).
She had travelled to Ushuaia in search of adventure after first visiting Buenos Aires and had already completed a climb of Martial Pyramid mountain during her trip.
Her guide, Emiliano, was a well-known figure in the local outdoor community and had extensive experience navigating the region’s demanding terrain.
The route across the Vinciguerra Glacier typically takes around eight hours to complete and involves steep drops, icy surfaces and technically difficult sections requiring specialist equipment.
The alarm was raised when Emiliano’s mother became concerned after the pair failed to return at the expected time on Monday evening.
The Ushuaia Rescue Commission launched a search despite poor visibility and difficult weather conditions.
Their bodies were later located in a steep area of the glacier where conditions can change rapidly.
Emiliano, believed to be in his mid-30s, had spent around a decade working as an instructor in snow sports and mountain activities, as reported by Need To Know.
He ran his own adventure tourism company, 54 Trek Expeditions, offering guided hikes, climbs and splitboard expeditions.
Away from the mountains, he was also a drummer in local rock band Boyska.
In one of his final social media posts, he shared drone footage of the local landscape and wrote: “What we call our backyard seems to be getting ready for us to play.”
Friends and colleagues have paid tribute to Abril, who worked at the Blend restaurant in the Enjoy Punta del Este hotel in Uruguay.
Her close friend Florencia Acosta told local media: “She achieved what she always wanted, which was to climb that mountain.”
Officials have not yet released further details as recovery efforts and investigations continue.
The Vinciguerra Glacier is one of the most popular attractions around Ushuaia, but is also regarded as one of the area’s more demanding routes for hikers and climbers.
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