Trending Now - Australian Hiker Tragically Falls to Death on Inca Trail

WHO:

CNN - Matthew Cameron Paton, a 52-year-old Australian tourist and father of three.

CNN - Victoria Police, Paton's employer.

CNN - Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush.

BBC News - Matthew Cameron Paton, identified as 53 years old in this source.

WHAT:

CNN - Paton fell into a ravine while hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

CNN - His body was found on Thursday evening local time.

CNN - Paton fell approximately 400 to 500 meters (around 1,300 to 1,600 feet).

CNN - The Inca Trail is a 26-mile (42-kilometer) route.

CNN - The hike typically takes four days.

CNN - 1.5 million people visited Machu Picchu last year.

WHERE:

CNN - The Inca Trail, leading to Machu Picchu in Peru.

CNN - The body was found about 300 meters down a steep slope.

WHEN:

CNN - Paton fell from the trail at 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

CNN - Paton joined the Victoria Police in 2009 and became an instructor in 2017.

CNN - He was due to take on a new role as a senior sergeant next month.

WHY:

CNN - Paton was hiking the Inca Trail with his wife, as he had always wanted to travel to Peru.

HOW:

CNN - The Inca Trail takes hikers from the Urubamba River near Cuzco to the ruins of Machu Picchu.

(UPDATED May 22, 2026 15:55 UTC)

Matthew Cameron Paton, a 52-year-old Australian tourist and father of three, tragically fell into a ravine while hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, with his body discovered about 300 meters down a steep slope. The incident occurred at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, and Paton, who joined the Victoria Police in 2009 and was set to become a senior sergeant next month, had always dreamed of traveling to Peru with his wife. The Inca Trail, a popular 26-mile route that typically takes four days to hike, attracts around 1.5 million visitors to Machu Picchu each year.