According to forensic pathologist Nikos Kalogrias, the victims bore no injuries, and the cause of death was asphyxiation, leading to the conclusion that they were buried under the snow.
The tragedy unfolded within a very short time, leaving no room for reaction. Rescuers found the victims buried beneath the snow on the day after Christmas and in close proximity to one another, an indication that everything happened suddenly.
The group of four had set out on Christmas morning from the village of Athanasios Diakos with the aim of reaching the Korakas peak. Weather conditions were initially described as good; however, the area had fresh and unstable snow, combined with rugged terrain and high altitude—factors that proved fatal.
The extremely difficult operation to recover and transport the four climbers who lost their lives in the Vardousia Mountains was completed on Saturday evening. The bodies were transferred to the General Hospital of Amfissa and then to the Athens Forensic Service for autopsy and post-mortem examination.
The moving farewell from colleagues and students of the 31-year-old teacher who lost her life in the Vardousia Mountains
With deep emotion and indescribable sorrow, the educational community bids farewell to 31-year-old mountaineer and teacher Dora Kaplani, who lost her life in the Vardousia Mountains when she was swept away by an avalanche together with three friends, fellow climbers, on Christmas Day.
A young woman with a love for nature and a passion for knowledge, she leaves behind an irreplaceable void in the hearts of her colleagues, her students, and her loved ones.
Just hours before her funeral, which will take place tomorrow in Trikala, her colleagues and students remember her with a moving tribute, honoring the bright presence and integrity that defined her life and work.
“With profound sorrow and silent pain, the Director and the Directorate of Primary Education of Argolida bid farewell to our exceptional colleague, Theodora Kaplani.
The news of the tragic accident in the Vardousia Mountains, where our beloved Theodora lost her life struck by the fury of the nature she loved so deeply, has shaken us to the core.
Theodora served as a teacher at the Primary School of Kiveri in Argolida with integrity, conscientiousness, and dedication. We will always remember her for her smile, her love for children, and her passion for teaching.
She was a well-trained, radiant, and kind colleague who not only offered her students the knowledge and skills essential for their growth and maturity, but also inspired in them the value of exploration and a love for life.
The educational family of Argolida mourns together with her biological family and stands by her loved ones. We wish them strength and courage to endure the weight of this sudden and violent loss.
Theodora lives and will continue to live in our thoughts and in our hearts, and in the thoughts and hearts of all the children who learned from her, from the beginning of her career until today. Farewell, Theodora. You will always live on in our memory and in our hearts.”
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