Tragedy Strikes Australian Cop on Inca Trail in Peru
An Australian man has died after falling from a height of 400 meters while walking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with his wife. The incident occurred when Matthew Cameron Paton, 52, tripped and fell through a damaged security barrier.
According to reports, Mr Paton was part of a group of tourists when he fell down a ravine around 2 pm on Wednesday, local time. The area where the accident happened, near the Intipunku entrance to the trail, is known for being difficult to access for rescue crews. Following extensive efforts, his body was retrieved on Thursday. Authorities are expected to transport his body to the Peruvian capital, Cusco, in the coming hours.
Mr Paton, a Victorian Police sergeant, was traveling with his wife as they made their way to the 500-year-old World Heritage site. Cusco Police Command Chief Police General Virgilio Velasquez stated that Paton tripped while crossing a bridge.
“We have information indicating that he apparently tripped while crossing a wooden bridge, and he likely tried to hold onto the wooden railing, but it gave way and he slipped into the abyss along with it,” General Velasquez said. “Unfortunately, he fell down the ravine.”
The Paton family released a heartfelt statement, shared through Victoria Police, paying tribute to Mr Paton. They described their loss as shattering and surreal.
“Our family is shattered by this loss. It seems surreal at the moment – everyone is bereft. Family was the most important thing to Matt,” they said. “He was dedicated to his family including his wife of 31 years and their three children. He adored his family. And we adored him. If you were in trouble he was the guy you wanted to have around because he would come to your aid. He was the guy who stopped on the side of the road to help people change tyres.”
Mr Paton was the youngest of three boys, and his father had a successful career in the military. The family described him as having a clear set of morals and ethics from a young age. He was a brilliant student, and before joining the police force, he worked as an accountant, earned a black belt in karate, learned Spanish, and worked in retail.
“He had always wanted to travel to Peru. Part of him learning Spanish was so he could do this trip,” they said. “He was always up for an adventure and to learn something and to experience something new.”
Victoria Police confirmed they are in contact with Mr Paton’s wife Jane, who was with him on holiday. The family is flying to Peru from Australia, and Victoria Police is doing everything in its power to provide support.
“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. His passion for teaching recruits led to a number of other roles, including facilitating training for police responding to mental health events. A proud Queenslander, he was a passionate follower of the Maroons and Brisbane Lions. Matt loved travelling, exploring historic sites and cultures. He is survived by his wife and three children Ainsley, Luke and Meg.”
A statement from the Police Association of Victoria said: “The Police Association, its staff and members are shocked and saddened by the loss of one of our members in a tragic accident overseas.” The statement continued, “Matt’s contribution to policing, through both his role in training police and as a TPAV Assistant Delegate, was representative of the care and concern he had for his colleagues and his want to give back to policing. We’ve offered our heartfelt condolences to Matt’s family and our welfare team is working with Victoria Police to provide them support.”
The Inca Trail is a 42km hiking trail that winds through the Peruvian mountains. Renowned globally, it takes two to five days to traverse high mountain passes before culminating at the Sun Gate entrance of Machu Picchu. The trek is challenging and requires a good level of fitness, particularly as it involves navigating thousands of uneven stone steps at high altitude. Machu Picchu sits 2,840m above sea level.
