Concerns grow for ‘out of character’ disappearance of Australian hiker in Peru

Friends and family of an Australian hiker who was trekking in Peru are growing concerned after he failed to contact anyone for days and missed a flight.

Jordan Yap, 30, from Melbourne, last spoke with loved ones on September 14, just before he was set to begin a trek of about 120km through the Huayhuash mountain range in Peru, on a route called the Cordillera Huayhuash circuit.

According to a post on Reddit made by a friend, Yap was supposed to spend 10 days on the trek, before returning to the Krusty Hostel in Huaraz to pick up his belongings on September 23, but he has not been heard from or seen since.

“They [the hostel] have confirmed he has not arrived back. He then was meant to take an overnight bus to Lima,” the friend said on a post in a forum called GoingToPeru.

“He missed his Lima–Cusco flight on Sept 24 and has not contacted family or friends.”

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The post said Yap’s last communication was via WhastApp on September 14, and claimed there may have been a malfunction with his satellite phone.

Yap was hiking solo, and his partner and family spoke to the Sydney Morning Herald to share their grave concerns for his wellbeing.

“It is extremely out of character for him to be out of contact, and if he could manage to, he would know how worried we all are and make every effort to get a message across,” his partner Anita said.

“So that’s why we’re very, very worried right now.”

The Cordillera Huayhuash circuit is considered an scenic but difficult trek, reaching elevations of up to 5000 metres.

According to Jordan’s father, he loves the outdoors, and has previously trekked in other parts of the world, though his trip in Peru is the first time he has done so on his own.

“He’s an avid outdoor person. In winter time, he will spend most weekends on the snow field, even though he didn’t have a lot of luck with the weather, he loves hiking,” Jordan’s father, Vinh Dao, told the Sydney Morning Herald.

According to the Reddit post, the Australian Embassy in Peru has been contacted, and a private search and rescue has been organised, and is being led by Socorro Andino Peruano, a Peruvian mountain rescue organisation specialising in helping and rescuing people lost in the country’s mountain regions.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Australian Embassy in Peru have been contacted for comment.

Jordan is described as being about 174cm tall with black, wavy hair.

It is believed he was wearing a white jacket, a green sunshade sweater, as well as a Durston 40 litre hiking bag, a Durston dome tent and hiking poles.