World · Peru trekJordan Yap Found Dead After Peru Trek as Cause Remains UnknownAired October 12, 2026 at 6:22 AM UTCWritten October 12, 2026 at 6:33 AM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:09Jordan Yap has been found dead after setting out alone on a mountain trek.0:13His parents traveled to Joraz while rescuers searched on foot and from the air.0:17Supporters helped fund an operation that stretched across weeks.0:20What happened between his last messages home and the discovery of his body is still0:24unexplained.0:25The 30-year-old Melbourne hiker planned to walk about 120 kilometers through Peru's0:30Cordillera Huayhuash.0:31He expected the circuit to take about 10 days.0:34The route crosses a remote, high-altitude part of the Andes.0:37Yap had trekked alone before, including in Australia, China, Turkey, and Jordan.0:41He'd spent many months preparing for Peru.0:44His friends described planning that lasted around a year, although their0:47descriptions differed on exactly how long he'd been preparing.0:50He last messaged family on September 14th.0:53He was due back September 23 and missed his September 24th flight.0:58His body was reportedly found October 9th.1:01Family and friends announced his death October 10th.1:04September 14th marks his last WhatsApp contact with family and friends.1:08Other hikers may have seen him during the first three days, including around day1:12three.1:12Those sightings haven't been pinned down to exact dates and places.1:15They leave open how far he traveled after his last messages home.1:19Yap left Krusty Hostel in Joraz on September 14th and traveled toward the Kiartel1:23Wayne trailhead.1:24He'd left belongings at the hostel to collect on his return.1:27He never came back for them as planned.1:29His itinerary then called for an overnight bus to Lima, followed by a flight to1:33Cusco.1:34Missing that flight added to the alarm over his failure to return.1:37A trek expected to include days without contact had become a search for a missing1:41person.1:42Days before departure, Yap misplaced a personal satellite beacon, a device used to1:46call for help remotely.1:47He'd recently bought a GPS watch for offline maps.1:50Investigators haven't said whether either piece of equipment affected what happened.1:54His family hired Socorro Andino Peruano, a private mountain rescue organization,2:00after initial difficulty engaging Peruvian authorities.2:03The team began deploying on September 25th, measured in Melbourne time.2:06Peruvian High Mountain Police joined the search.2:09Along with additional crews organized by family and friends.2:11Rescuers searched on foot, supported by reconnaissance flights and drones.2:15Weather interrupted operations.2:16Yap's parents traveled to Waraz, while relatives and friends coordinated with2:20Australian diplomatic and consular personnel and worked to keep the search funded.2:28Initial search costs had already passed 18,000 Australian dollars.2:32The money being sought covered the mountain operation, travel, and associated2:35expenses.2:36Friends and family turned to a public campaign called Bring Jordan Home, Emergency2:40Mountain Search in Peru, organized by Talia Hayes for Wesley Dow.2:44By September 29th, supporters had raised more than $72,000 Australian dollars.2:50A later campaign snapshot showed $107,953 Australian dollars toward a target of2:55120,000.2:57Those figures measure donations, rather than the final cost of the operation.3:01Another campaign snapshot showed 107,853 Australian dollars with roughly 1,0003:07donations.3:08The totals were changing as support came in.3:10No final spending total has been announced, so the money raised doesn't tell us the3:14eventual search and recovery bill.3:16Local authorities told the family that Yap's body had been found in the Mitukacha3:20Lagoon area.3:22The discovery has also been placed in the Makayancha sector.3:26Both descriptions point to the wider Cuiropolca area, but the exact site hasn't been3:30clarified.3:31Lake Mitococha sits about 4,270 meters above sea level on the eastern side of the3:36range.3:37It's in Queropolca district, in Loracocha Province within the Huanuco region.3:41The location given to the family describes the surrounding area.3:44The recovery details also contain a different name, Jap Jordan Howe, and an age of3:4931.3:50Yap's family identifies him as Jordan Yap, aged 30.3:54The matching route, disappearance timeline, and search connect those details to the3:57same case.3:58Nobody has publicly explained the different name rendering or the one-year age4:02difference.4:03Local authorities notified his family and friends of the discovery, and they4:06confirmed his death the following day.4:08His family and friends wrote, with a heavy heart, we are sorry to tell you Jordan4:12has been found, and he did not survive.4:14They thanked contributors, search teams, police, and everyone who gave time or4:18helped spread the search.4:20They asked people to remember him as the vibrant man he was and for the joy he4:24brought to others.4:25Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed consular assistance to4:29his family, offered condolences, and withheld further details for privacy.4:33Local prosecutors in Laura Kosha and police in Banyoz are reportedly involved in4:37recovery inquiries.4:39Awanako Morgue was named as the destination for his body.4:42Officials haven't confirmed the transfer or announced arrangements to return him to4:45Australia.4:46The circumstances remain under investigation.4:49Authorities haven't released forensic findings or a timetable for the next update.4:53His family has confirmation that he didn't survive, but what happened during the4:56final part of his journey and the cause of his death remain unknown.Explore with HeyDexFollow via RSSThe shortThe short ↗