A Victorian police officer, Matt Paton, 52, has died following a fall during a hike on the Inca Trail near Machu Picchu in Peru. Multiple Australian outlets report that Paton was taking part in the trek when the incident occurred, and that he subsequently died as a result of the fall.
The reports identify Paton as a serving Victorian police officer and provide his age, but they do not add further detail on the circumstances of the fall, how it happened, or the immediate response and investigation. They also do not specify whether other hikers or authorities assisted at the scene.
The incident draws attention to the risks associated with high-altitude and rugged trekking routes such as the Inca Trail. At this stage, the accounts remain limited to the core facts: Paton is from Victoria, he died after falling during the Machu Picchu hike, and the location is in Peru.
