Police Officer Matt Paton Dies on Dream Trip to Peru After Falling From Inca Trail
Sergeant Matt Paton had always wanted to visit Peru. He had been learning Spanish before the trip. He and his wife Jane had 12 days in Cusco planned together. He never made it back.
Paton, a 52-year-old police sergeant with Victoria Police in Australia, died Wednesday, May 21, after falling from the Inca Trail during a guided group hike toward Machu Picchu. His body was recovered the following morning by Peruvian rescue teams in an abyss approximately 300 meters — nearly 1,000 feet — from the trail leading to the ancient Inca citadel. Local police told ABC News he fell after tripping through a damaged security barrier in a difficult-to-access section of the trail. His wife Jane was with him at the time.
Peruvian authorities are investigating the circumstances of the fall. His body was transported to a morgue in the regional city of Urubamba for an autopsy.
"Everyone Is Bereft"
Paton is survived by his wife of 31 years and their three children. His family released a statement Friday that captured both the depth of their grief and the fullness of the man they lost.
"It seems surreal at the moment — everyone is bereft," the family said. "Family was the most important thing to Matt. He was dedicated to his family including his wife of 31 years and their three children. He adored his family. And we adored him."
They described a man defined by curiosity and warmth. "He was always up for an adventure and to learn something and to experience something new," they said. "He had always wanted to travel to Peru and had been learning Spanish before the trip."
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush mourned Paton publicly. "His colleagues and the entire policing family are devastated at the tragic loss," Bush said in a statement. "Matt loved travelling, exploring historic sites and cultures. He will be remembered for his selflessness, amazing sense of humour, extreme kindness and inclusion of all."
Victoria Police confirmed Paton's death in a statement, saying the department was in contact with Jane and that family members were flying to Peru from Australia. The Australian consulate and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade were also notified and involved in the response.
The Inca Trail and Its Risks
The Inca Trail is one of the world's most famous hikes — a four-day, roughly 26-mile route through the Andes that ends at the Sun Gate above Machu Picchu, the 15th-century Inca citadel that draws more than a million visitors annually. The trail passes through dramatic mountain terrain at elevations exceeding 13,000 feet, with narrow sections, steep drop-offs, and ancient stone steps that can become slippery in wet conditions.
Peru limits daily permits on the trail to 500 people, including guides and porters, and requires all hikers to be accompanied by a licensed guide. Despite those regulations, fatal accidents on the trail and in the surrounding area do occur. In 2019, a German tourist died after falling more than 300 feet from an area above the Machu Picchu citadel.
The section of trail where Paton fell involved a damaged security barrier — a detail that Peruvian authorities are factoring into their investigation.
Machu Picchu sits 2,430 meters above sea level in the Andes Mountains. For Paton, it was a destination years in the making — a dream trip, planned and prepared for, undertaken with his wife by his side.
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