DistantNews
Support us
Two porters die in Cusco amid heavy rains and snow on routes to Machu Picchu
🇵🇪 Peru /Disasters & Emergencies

Two porters die in Cusco amid heavy rains and snow on routes to Machu Picchu

From La República · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Two porters died on Inca and Salkantay trails in Cusco, Peru, amid heavy rains and snow.
  • One porter, Gabriel Ríos Mamani, 49, was found dead at a campsite; his death is under investigation for potential lack of aid.
  • A second porter, Alipio Ascenso Quiñones Pérez, 64, likely died of hypothermia on the Salkantay route, where 100-150 tourists were temporarily stranded due to weather.

Two porters have died on popular trekking routes in Peru's Cusco region due to severe weather conditions. Gabriel Ríos Mamani, 49, a porter for Alpaca Expeditions, was found dead by his group near Huayllabamba on the Inca Trail. Police are investigating the circumstances of his death, including whether he received adequate aid from his colleagues.

That is under investigation, we cannot make premature judgments.

— General PNP Virgilio VelásquezThe head of the Cusco Police Region, General PNP Virgilio Velásquez, commented on the investigation into the death of porter Gabriel Ríos Mamani.

The second fatality occurred on the Salkantay route, where Alipio Ascenso Quiñones Pérez, 64, was found dead in the Suytococha area. Authorities preliminarily believe he died of hypothermia due to heavy snowfall. Police clarified that he was found with wet clothing, not naked, as had been rumored.

That is under investigation, we cannot make premature judgments.

— General PNP Virgilio VelásquezThe head of the Cusco Police Region, General PNP Virgilio Velásquez, commented on the investigation into the death of porter Gabriel Ríos Mamani.

The extreme weather, including heavy rains and snow, has also stranded between 100 and 150 tourists in Huayllabamba as a safety precaution. Officials are urging visitors and porters to exercise extreme caution on the trails.

That is under investigation, we cannot make premature judgments.

— General PNP Virgilio VelásquezThe head of the Cusco Police Region, General PNP Virgilio Velásquez, commented on the investigation into the death of porter Gabriel Ríos Mamani.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La República in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog