Another tourist found dead in Greece amid heat wave

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STORY: The Greek island of Corfu draws flocks of tourists in the summertime, many of them opting to hike dusty mountain trails in search of secluded beaches on the shores of the Ionian Sea.

But a period of unusually hot weather is prompting new concerns for safety.

On Monday, police said a 55-year-old American was found dead on the Island of Mathraki -- the third tourist death in a week.

:: June 6, 2024

British TV presenter Michael Mosley went missing on the Aegean island Symi earlier in June, prompting a search by helicopters, dogs, and drones. His body was found on June 9.

He had taken a walk, alone, in high temperatures before he disappeared.

A 74-year-old Dutch tourist was found dead on the island of Samos on Saturday and two hikers were found dead on Crete on June 5.

Visitors here on Corfu told Reuters they understood the risks, and took precautions.

"It's very dangerous to walk in the sun, but you need to put sunscreen and drink lots of water to stay safe."

"The heat also is very, very hot, with the sun like today, and I have learned that one man died because of this heat."

Temperatures soared above 104 degrees Fahrenheit earlier this month, just as the holiday season began across Greece's remote beaches, ancient sites and mountain trails.

Ioanna Fotopoulou is a coordinator with the Hellenic Red Cross, and said many visitors on vacation didn't appreciate the risks:

“They (tourists) all get carried away, they are enthusiastic, they have a lot of confidence in their physical condition, they believe that if they are fit, if they don’t take medicine, if they don’t have any illness they can go beyond their limits, many times they test their limits.”

Rescue teams were still searching for three others who have gone missing in Greece amid the high temperatures: two French women, aged 73 and 64, on the island of Sikinos, and a 59-year-old U.S. policeman on the island of Amorgos.