Australian man dies after falling 400 metres on Peru's Inca Trail

An Australian man has died in Peru after falling from an embankment while walking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

Matthew Paton was walking in a group of tourists about 2pm on Wednesday, local time, when he tripped and fell through a damaged security barrier, local police told the ABC.

The 52-year-old Victoria Police sergeant is believed to have fallen up to 400 metres in a difficult-to-access area near the Intipunku entrance to the Inca Trail, police say.

He had been reported missing on Wednesday, according to an alert issued by Lieutenant Abel Bejarano Cuyotupac, the police commissioner of Machu Picchu.

Sergeant Paton's body was found and retrieved on Thursday, local time, and transported to the Aguas Calientes township, known locally as the Machu Picchu pueblo.

Authorities, who have contacted the Australian Embassy in Peru, expect to transport his body to the Peruvian city of Cusco today.

Sergeant Paton had been travelling in Peru with his wife, officials said.

In a statement, his family said they were "shattered" by his death.

Sergeant Paton was a "career military man", accountant, black belt in karate, had studied Spanish and "loved being an educator", the family said.

"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.

"He wanted to have a career where he was doing something that he could be proud of which is why he joined Victoria Police later in life.

"He loved his colleagues and had a great rapport. He was a funny guy. He was witty, he was clever. He would spin an anecdote better than anyone."

Sergeant Paton's family also said he had "always wanted to travel to Peru" and learned Spanish to help with his trip to Machu Picchu.

"He was always up for an adventure and to learn something and to experience something new," the statement said.

Victoria Police described the incident as a "tragedy".

"We are in contact with his wife Jane who was with him on holiday and family are flying to Peru from Australia … Victoria Police is doing everything in its power to provide whatever support it can," a statement read.

"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.

"He was recently selected for a senior sergeant position and was due to [start] in the role next month.

"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."

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said that Sergeant Paton had "served with distinction for 16 years".

"His colleagues and the entire policing family are devastated at the tragic loss of a wonderful, caring person," Commissioner Bush said.

"Matt had the ability to talk to anyone and everyone. The morale and welfare of his friends and workmates was always his priority.

"He will be remembered for his selflessness, amazing sense of humour, extreme kindness and inclusion of all."

The Police Association of Victoria also said its staff and members had been left shocked and saddened by Sergeant Paton's death.

"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," a statement said.

"We've offered our heartfelt condolences to Matt's family and our welfare team is working with Victoria Police to provide them support."

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is providing consular assistance to Mr Paton's family.

"We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time," a spokesperson said in a statement.

"Owing to our privacy obligations, we are unable to provide further comment."

The Inca Trail is a 42-kilometre hiking trail that winds through the Peruvian mountains to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Machu Picchu historical site.

More than 1.6 million people — 4,300 per day — visit the site each year, though a flexible cap of 500 hikers per day is in place for the Inca Trail.

The ancient Incan city was closed entirely in 2023 amid nationwide protests that led to dozens of deaths and injuries.