Phoenix 24
A solo ascent ended in tragedy.
Mount Olympus, May 2026. Spanish hiker Francisco de Paula Expósito, a 25-year-old from Andújar, Jaén, was found dead on Mount Olympus after nearly a week without contact while attempting a solo route in Greece. His disappearance had triggered a rescue operation after his family reported that they had been unable to reach him.
Greek authorities and rescue teams had been searching for him since May 20, but bad weather, snow, strong winds and poor visibility complicated the operation. According to the reconstruction of his route, Expósito left the Spilios Agapitos mountain refuge early on May 19 with the intention of reaching Mytikas, the highest summit in Greece.
During the ascent, other hikers reportedly warned him not to continue because of the conditions on the mountain. His last known message to his family was sent through WhatsApp and included a photograph believed to have been taken between Skala and Skolio, two key points on the route toward Mytikas.
The case leaves a painful reminder about the risks of solitary mountain routes, especially when weather shifts faster than planned itineraries. In high-altitude terrain, experience, caution and timing can become the fragile border between adventure and irreversible loss.
Every silence speaks. / Cada silencio habla.