A tragic incident occurred when a young woman lost her life after being swept away by a raging river in Colombia due to a fatal mistake made by a tour guide on the final day of her vacation. Yudi Alexandra Castellanos Solano, a 21-year-old aspiring architect, was exploring a scenic area with her family and a group of friends under the guidance of a tour operator to visit various waterfalls.
The tour guide decided to turn back as the river’s strong currents became too treacherous to navigate. Unfortunately, as they were heading back, Yudi accidentally fell into the river and was carried away on Sunday. Following a three-day search operation, her body was discovered approximately 2.5 miles downstream in the Güejar River within the Sierra de la Macarena National Park.
The family expressed disappointment with the search efforts, criticizing the lack of adequate equipment and experienced personnel involved. Colonel Jorge Díaz, from the provincial Civil Defence department, highlighted the challenging terrain of the area where the incident occurred, known as Salto de Canoa, due to its dense forest cover.
Furthermore, the family condemned the travel company for providing only one tour guide and an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Yudi’s tragic death is currently underway. Yudi, a recent graduate from Santo Tomás University in Bogotá, was described by a university spokesperson as a promising architect with a bright future ahead.
In a separate incident, a British tourist lost his life at a popular Greek holiday destination when he was found unresponsive in the water at Prasonisi, Rhodes. Despite efforts by paramedics at the scene and later at the Gennadi Health Centre, the 57-year-old man could not be revived and was declared deceased.
Authorities from the Lindos Port Authority have initiated an investigation into the incident, with an autopsy planned to determine the exact cause of death.