Still no results in search for lost hiker hit by avalanche in Cajón del Maipo

SANTIAGO.- Several troops belonging to Special Police Operations (GOPE) have resumed a search 23 year-old hiker Marco Antonio Vera Moraga today. The hiker went missing on Cerro San Francisco in Cajón del Maipo Saturday afternoon and search efforts have yet to yield results.

The young man, who is originally from Coyhaique was climbing the mountain with two friends at the time of the accident, when a sudden snow avalanche began to rush down the hillside, sweeping Vera Moraga some one thousand meters downhill.

After the accident, it took Vera's two friends 24 hours to reach the closest patrol station in order to seek help.

Following the avalanche, Police Captain Alexis Chamblas stated that "we have to take into account that this is an avalanche that fell on a person. We don't know how many meters of snow or ice there could have been and the search is going to be quite difficult".