FOOTAGE shows the horrific moment a tourist was killed after being hit by a huge block of ice as he neared the mouth of a frozen cave in Argentina.
The man, thought to be from Brazil, was killed instantly when the chunk of ice plummeted down on him in a tragedy filmed by one of his fellow hikers.
The tragedy took place at the Jimbo Cave, also known as the Ice Cave, in the Andorra Valley near the world’s southernmost city of Ushuaia on Wednesday.
It allegedly came after the group of hikers ignored signs warning visitors they must stay away from the off-limits area for their own safety.
Local media published footage of the unnamed victim walking towards the mouth of the cave, an opening under a glacier, as one of his companions warned him to take care.
In the clip, some members of the group appeared to stop and heed his warning momentarily before moving forward again.
But one of the members at the front appeared to pay little attention and carried on walking towards the cave while recording it on his mobile phone.
The giant chunk of ice that fell on him looked at least double his size.
The man, who had been filming their approach to the cave, immediately dropped his camera as he warned colleagues to turn back and avoid any more falling blocks of ice.
According to local sources, emergency services were alerted around 5pm local time on Wednesday, but sadly the tourist was already dead by the time the first responders arrived on foot following a six-mile hike to reach the scene.
The six people hiking with him are now expected to be questioned by police in the coming days while an autopsy takes place on the deceased’s body.
An investigating judge has been placed in charge of an ongoing probe into the incident.
The spot where the tragedy occurred is part of the Tierra del Fuego National Park, a national park on the Argentine part of the island of Tierra del Fuego.
It was the first shoreline national park to be established in Argentina.
Local authorities sounded warnings about the dangers of going near the Jimbo Cave – known locally as the Cueva de Jimbo – after studies showed it was at risk of collapse.
A year earlier rescue workers had reminded visitors access to the cave was prohibited for safety reasons.
Jacob Bentley-York
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