Theodora Kaplani’s mother spoke emotionally on Mega about her final plea to the 31-year-old teacher hours before the fatal Vardousia climb. “Theodora mou, don’t go to these things because you won’t have a good end, my child,” she said. Theodora replied, “You, mama, don’t worry.”
Theodora loved mountaineering and planned an Everest summer ascent, telling her mother, “Mama, I’ll climb, plant the flag on top, and even if I die, I’ll die happy.”
Timeline of the disaster
Four friends departed Athanasios Diakos village Christmas morning, aiming for Korakas peak. Around 200 meters short, an avalanche buried them under heavy snow, likely alive initially.
Friday afternoon, the 7th EMAK unit followed shoe tracks to locate them in treacherous terrain, confirming the tragedy.
Dangerous terrain
Vardousia ranks among Greece’s worst mountaineering accidents. Winter conditions prove lethal due to unforgiving terrain offering no margin for error, even for experts.
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