Peruvian crews are searching for missing Australian hiker Jordan Yap, 30, after he disappeared during a solo trek through the remote Huayhuash mountain range.
The Melbourne man set out from a hostel in Huaraz on September 14, warning family and friends that he would be without contact for about 10 days while completing the route.
He was due to arrive at a hotel on September 23 before catching a flight from Lima to Cusco the following day. He did not check in and missed the flight, prompting growing concern among his family.
Yap’s father, Vinh Dao, said the family had not heard from his son since he attempted the hike earlier this month.
“Before the 10-day hike in the Huayhuash region, he sent the last message to us saying that he’s going to be off grid for the next 10 days,” Mr Dao told the ABC.
“So he failed to check in at the hotel and he missed his flight as well, so that’s when the panic and the concern kicked in.”
Yap is an experienced traveller who has previously hiked in Australia, China, Turkey and Jordan, according to his family.
The Huayhuash circuit is a demanding route through remote valleys, high-altitude passes and glacial lakes. It typically takes between eight and 12 days and has little or no mobile phone reception along much of the trail.
Yap’s family has contacted Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in an effort to liaise with police in Peru, but says it has so far been unable to make contact successfully.
