A British photographer tragically collapsed and died while hiking at a popular Greek site this morning.
The 67-year-old man, whose identity has not been released, was found unconscious in the Vouraikos Gorge in Kalavryta after friends called emergency services around 8:30 a.m. He was reportedly with a group of British and German photographers hoping to capture images of fighter jets flying overhead as part of NATO drills.
Despite attempts by friends to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead upon arrival at Kalavryta Hospital. Investigators are currently looking into the cause of death, with initial reports suggesting he may have been suffering from an illness.
Emergency responders arrived to find the man unconscious near vineyards on the outskirts of Diakopto. Police, firefighters, and an ambulance quickly mobilized to the scene.
Local firefighters confirmed via Twitter/X that they transported an unconscious man from a challenging location near the Mega Cave of Kalavryton, handing him over to emergency medical teams. “Seven firefighters with two vehicles were deployed,” they reported.
Last month, Greece hosted NATO exercises featuring jets flying through the dramatic landscape of the Vouraikos Gorge. The Ramstein Flag exercise, which began on September 30 and concluded today, involved 140 jets and participation from thirteen allied nations, including the UK and the US.
According to NATO, the Ramstein Flag exercise aims to provide participating nations with high-end training opportunities, including realistic scenarios in complex operational environments.