An Australian man has died in Peru after falling off a road while walking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, according to local authorities.
Members of the High Mountain Rescue Unit in the city of Cusco, where Machu Picchu is located, found the body of 52-year-old Matthew Cameron Paton, a Victoria Police sergeant, on Thursday about 400 meters down a steep slope near the “50 Gradas” section of the trail. According to local outlet TVPerú Noticias.
Police said Patton was reported missing on Wednesday after he fell through a broken barrier while hiking a mountain road in Peru with a group of tourists and a guide. BBC.
Cusco regional police chief Virgilio Velasquez told TVPerú Noticias that police have “information indicating that he apparently stumbled while crossing a wooden bridge.”
Velasquez added: “He probably tried to hold on to the wooden fence, but it collapsed and slid with him into the abyss. Unfortunately, he fell into the ravine.”
The police chief said Patton’s body would be transported to the city of Machu Picchu in Aguas Calientes.
Velasquez said that Patton was with his wife at the time of the accident, and they had arrived in Peru as part of a trip.
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Velasquez added: “At the time of the accident, he was accompanied by his wife, with whom he came from Australia. The deceased was a police officer by profession, and they were in Cusco for 12 days as tourists.”
Authorities are investigating the cause of the fall.
Global News reached out to the Cusco Police District and the Peruvian National Police’s High Mountain Rescue Division for further comment, but did not receive a response.
The Victoria Police Department confirmed Patton’s death in a statement to Global News, saying: “Victoria Police can confirm that one of their members has tragically died after falling during an Inca Trail trek in Peru.”
The police added: “Unfortunately, the body of Sergeant Matt Paton was found this morning. We are in contact with his wife, Jane, who was with him on holiday and the family is traveling to Peru from Australia. Local authorities are investigating the circumstances of the tragedy,” noting that the Australian Consulate, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Australian Federal Police are assisting in the investigation.
The statement continued: “Victoria Police is doing everything in its power to provide all the support it can.” “Matt, 52, joined Victoria Police in 2009, initially serving at Cranbourne and Rosebud police stations before becoming an instructor at the Victoria Police Academy in 2017.”
Patton’s passion for educating recruits led to various other roles, including facilitating police training to respond to mental health incidents, the Victoria Police Department said.
“He was recently selected for the position of Senior Sergeant and was scheduled to start his position next month,” police added.
“He was a proud Queenslander and was an avid follower of the Maroon and Brisbane Lions. Matt loved traveling and exploring historical sites and cultures. He is survived by his wife and three children Ainsley, Luke and Meg,” Victoria Police Department said.
Victoria Police Chief Mike Bush said the thoughts of everyone at Victoria Police “are with Matt’s family and friends at this time.”
“Matt served with distinction for 16 years, most recently as an instructor at the Victoria Police Academy,” Bush said. “His colleagues and the entire police family are devastated by the tragic loss of a wonderful and caring person.”
Bush added that Patton will be remembered for his selflessness, amazing sense of humor, extreme kindness and inclusiveness.
The Blue Ribbon Foundation, an organization that remembers Victoria Police personnel killed in the line of duty, He shared a statement about Patton’s death“It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the death of Victoria Police Sergeant Matt Paton, who tragically lost his life while hiking the Inca Trail in Peru,” he wrote.
The statement continued: “Sergeant Patton served our community with dedication and commitment. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and all who had the honor of working with him.” “To Matt’s family – we cannot imagine the pain you are enduring right now. Please know that the Blue Ribbon community stands with you, and that you are in our thoughts and prayers during this extremely difficult time.”
The Inca Trail, a 43-kilometre, four-day tour, is the most popular trekking route to Machu Picchu, with stops at archaeological sites such as Patalacta, Roncuracay, Sayacmarca and Huinahuena. According to its website.
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