Australian Police Officer Dies After Falling 300 Meters on Inca Trail to Machu Picchu—Broken Railing Believed to Be Cause
An Australian police officer died after falling 300 meters down a ravine on Peru's Inca Trail when a broken railing gave way as he tried to steady himself on a wooden bridge. Senior Sergeant Matthew Cameron Paton, 53, was found in the "50 G
An Australian police officer has died after falling down a ravine while hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru. Senior Sergeant Matthew Cameron Paton, 53, from Queensland Police, was found dead by rescue teams in Cusco on Thursday, May 21, approximately 300 meters down a steep slope near the "50 Gradas" section of the popular hiking route. Paton had arrived in Cusco 12 days prior with his wife and disappeared after falling into a ravine while trekking with a group of tourists and a guide due to a damaged railing. Authorities are investigating the incident and plan to transport his body to a nearby town for an autopsy. Cusco Police Region Commander General Virgilio Velasquez stated that search and rescue operations began on Wednesday following the missing person report. "We have information suggesting he may have tripped while crossing a wooden bridge and attempted to grab the railing to steady himself, but the railing broke and he slipped down into the ravine," Velasquez said.
