A former employee of Harrods from Britain and a PR professional were among the unfortunate casualties in a severe snowstorm while trekking in Patagonia. Victoria Bond, reportedly in her 30s, tragically lost her life in Chile’s Torres del Paine nature reserve due to extreme weather conditions resembling a Category 3 hurricane, resulting in the disappearance of nine tourists. Victoria, along with two individuals from Mexico and two from Germany, perished on Monday, prompting a search team of over 20 members to locate the missing hikers. Victoria, who had a successful career in PR for prominent brands and the travel industry, was part of this group.
According to José Antonio Ruiz, the presidential delegate of Magallanes, the five victims became disoriented near the Los Perros camp in the park, a location four to five hours away on foot from the nearest accessible point by vehicle.
Victoria was on the Paine Massif Circuit, also known as the O Circuit, when the incident occurred as per social media reports. She had been serving as a PR manager for Visit Isles of Scilly in Cornwall, specializing in travel and lifestyle communications for over six years, as indicated on her LinkedIn profile.
Before this role, Victoria worked in luxury fashion as a fine jewelry and watch PR executive at Harrods from 2014 to 2015. She also held positions as a freelance fashion assistant at Conde Nast, a luxury consulting director for a PR firm, and a senior account director at another public relations company.
Victoria extensively documented her global travels on social media, showcasing visits to destinations like Athens, Barbados, and Costa Rica, including a remarkable catamaran experience she rated as a “10/10 life experience.”
Following the tragic event, Chilean President Gabriel Boric expressed condolences and pledged full support to the families and friends of the deceased, including two Mexicans, Cristina Calvillo Tovar and Julian Garcia Pimentel, and two Germans, Nadine Lichey and Andreas Von Pein.
An FCDO Spokesperson informed The Mirror that they are assisting the family of the deceased British woman involved in the Chile incident and are coordinating with local authorities.
