The unfortunate death of Kevin Bocanegra, a 25-year-old athlete, in the Tolima snow-capped mountain continues to hog the headlines with a debate on who was responsible for his untimely demise.
There are two differing stories of the hiker’s death.
One version is from his girlfriend, Jois Ramírez, and mother-in-law, Julieth Ordóñez.
The latter accused the guide, mountaineers, and inhabitants of the area of faux pas, inattention, and lack of humanity.
On the other hand, another witness at the La Primavera farm disputed this version and stated that the officials at the farm did everything humanly possible to save the hiker and also consoled his grieving girlfriend.
What was to be a challenge and a dream for the young athlete Kevin Bocanegra Marín, as well as for his partner, Jois Ramírez, and his mother-in-law, turned into a tragedy.
After the difficult ascent to the Tolima snow-capped mountain, the young man started suffering from pulmonary edema, which ultimately proved fatal for him.
The event happened on December 31, 2024. The young hiker’s partner later gave an interview to the podcast Más allá del silencio with Rafael Poveda.
The details of the incident soon came into the public domain, and the young hiker’s partner and her mother pointed to a series of irregularities which led to the death of the young hiker.
The Los Nevados National Park is known for its extreme weather conditions but is a great hit among hikers and mountaineers.
Jois Ramírez revealed that the guide, who is named Óscar Apolinar, and the agency which organizes the hiking trails were not certified by the Natural Parks.
Jois further alleged that the guide did not make decisions pertaining to the health condition of both Bocanegra and Ramírez.
She also stated that the farms and their inhabitants in the park showed a lack of empathy and treated them in a very bad manner.
However, another witness who was at the park detailed his version on X and stated that the girl’s version of the incident is incorrect. He stated that as soon as it was known that a member of the team was sick, he was advised to descend and abort the mission.
However, the sick man stayed for two days in extreme weather conditions. The witness also stated that he was present at the La Primavera farm and also received the first distress broadcasts for Bocanegra. Bad signal quality made it impossible to reply back.
A rescuer was sent on December 31 on a mule, and the location was 4,000 meters above sea level, and the journey took four hours. He added that the dead hiker’s girlfriend was in a distressed condition and was screaming hysterically. She was also calmed by the officials in the best possible way.
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