Douglas Tompkins , the U.S. co-founder of The North Face and Esprit clothing companies has died from severe hypothermia in a kayaking accident in Chile, authorities say.<br />The 72-year-old environmental activist had bought up large swaths of land in South America's Patagonia region to help keep them pristine.<br />The Aysen health service said the wealthy businessman was boating with five other foreigners on Tuesday when their kayaks capsized in a lake in the Patagonia region of southern Chile.<br />"For the environmental movement, not just in Chile but internationally, (Tompkins' death) is a huge loss," said Sara Larrain , a long-time friend of Tompkins who leads a Chilean environmental group.
