Australian tourist killed falling into ravine on Peru’s Inca Trail
By Sam Peters, CNN
(CNN) — An Australian tourist has died after falling into a ravine whilst hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru.
Matthew Paton’s body was found on Thursday evening local time, his employer, Victoria Police, told CNN in a statement. Australia’s 9News, a CNN affiliate, reported that he fell from the trail at 2 p.m. on Wednesday.
The 52-year-old father of three fell 400 to 500 meters (around 1,300 to 1,600 feet) during a difficult part of the hike, 9News reported.
Paton, 52, was in Peru with his wife to hike the Inca Trail, a popular route that ends at Machu Picchu, a citadel built by the Incas in the 15th century.
The 26-mile (42-kilometer) route takes hikers through steep, mountainous terrain, reaching altitudes of 4,200 meters (around 13,800 feet).
Victoria Police said Paton “loved travelling, exploring historic sites and cultures.”
Paton’s family members were on their way to Peru, it added.
In a statement released by Victoria Police, the family said they were “shattered by the loss. It seems surreal at the moment — everyone is bereft.”
Paton was “always up for an adventure,” his family said, and had “always wanted to travel to Peru,” going so far as to learn Spanish for the trip.
Paton joined the Victoria Police in 2009, before becoming an instructor at Victoria Police Academy in 2017.
He was due to take on a new role as a senior sergeant next month.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said: “His colleagues and the entire policing family are devastated at the tragic loss of a wonderful, caring person.”
CNN has contacted Peru’s Ministry of Culture and its Tourist Police for comment, as well as the Australian Embassy in Lima.
The Inca Trail takes hikers from the Urubamba River near Cuzco, up to the ruins of Machu Picchu. The hike normally takes four days.
According to government figures, 1.5 million people visited the site last year. Visitors can also take a train from Cuzco to nearby Aguas Calientes instead of hiking. In December, a train crash on the line killed one person and left 30 injured.
The-CNN-Wire
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