Matthew Cameron Paton dies after fall on Machu Picchu trail

Matthew Cameron Paton, a 53-year-old Australian tourist, died after falling from the Inca Trail on the way to machu picchu in Peru. He was on a four-day journey when he was reported missing on Wednesday, before his body was later found in a hard-to-reach area.

Paton arrived 12 days earlier

Paton had arrived in the region with his wife 12 days before heading to the trail. The route led toward Machu Picchu, the destination that draws walkers onto the Inca Trail and now marks the place tied to his final journey.

Peru search found the body

He is believed to have fallen about 300 meters along the trail. The hard-to-reach location made the recovery more difficult after he was reported missing, and the account from Peru's national news agency put the focus on how quickly a hike can turn into a search operation.

Australian authorities reached out

said it had reached out to Dfat and Peruvian police for further details. For Paton's family, the immediate fact is that the four-day trek ended with a recovery in rough terrain rather than a return from the trail.