The disappearance of Belgian tourist Natacha de Crombrugghe in Peru, January 24th of 2022
The young Belgian is a law graduate from the Catholic University of Leuven who worked for an insurance company until recently. Natacha is 1.65m tall, has a slim build, has long curly brown hair and occasionally wears glasses. She was in possession of a black and turquoise backpack. She could wear a black hooded jacket, hiking clothes and sneakers at the time of her disappearance, according to the police of Brussels. Interestingly, Natacha is said to have left a backpack in her hotel room in the Andean town of Cabanaconde on January 23, before leaving to visit the Colca Canyon (assumed to have been the next day, the 24th), a popular tourist destination in the Peruvian highlands. The trek she took should have taken only about three to four hours. But she never returned. An acquaintance called Marius Pons-Bordeaux, had spent four days together with Natacha in Colombia earlier, where they explored the Amazon jungle in a group setting. He declared to Belgian media that he had last communicated with Natacha on January 23rd at 5:00 PM. This was half an hour before the very last known contact of Natacha, with her parents (at 5:30 PM - 22:30 GMT). "The last time we received a message from her, we had her GPS position. I know that on that day, the weather was not a concern." Marius Pons-Bordeaux also testified: "The possibility that she got lost is not excluded. I hope that we will find my friend very soon". "She is a very lively person, who smiles all the time, who brought a very strong energy to the group," said the French tourist. “All theories are possible, so none should be ruled out. The last time we received a message from her, as well as her GPS position, was January 23 at 5 PM. The possibility that she got lost cannot be ruled out. Apparently, that day, the weather was not necessarily good”, he then u-turned on the weather. "I am very concerned, ten days is not nothing (...) I really hope that we will find this person whom I appreciate enormously". Social media posts have by now been shared more than 14,000 times. In the comments, a backpacker claims to have crossed paths with Natacha near Lake Titicaca.
Rescuer Eloy Cayca, nicknamed “The angel of the disappeared”, became known in his country after finding the body of Ciro Castillo Rojo. Ciro was a 26-year-old student who disappeared in 2011 in the same area where the search for Natacha is now being carried out. He got lost and fell to his death. Cayca is helping to locate Natacha, and has explained which two things he believes are most likely to have happened to her. “We have to do our job in an inhospitable area. Also, the weather is very bad. There is a storm, it is raining.” He added that Natacha's planned hike is "well marked and not extremely dangerous", but that "there are difficult points". Eloy Cacya thinks that she either checked into a lodge on the way, and could not contact her family, for example because she is sick. Or she took the wrong path and she got lost. But he adds that the area is fringed with wild animals, which can attack people. “There are also other people walking around here, perhaps with less good intentions. We will keep looking until we find something,” concluded Cayca.
Colca Canyon
The Colca Canyon is located in southern Peru, about 160 kilometers northwest of the city of Arequipa. It is one of the deepest canyons in the world, nearly twice as deep as the Grand Canyon at its 3,400m deepest point (although some sites state a depth of over 4000 m), and home to soaring condors and endless trekking routes. There are also many animals living in this canyon, incuding condors, llamas, guanacos, alpacas and even pumas. There are also natural hot springs (one is called the Calera hot springs... I am not making this up). This High Andes fissure is one of the most impressive scenic landscapes in Peru and a popular tourist destination. In 2010 it received for instance more than 160,000 visitors. It offers multiple hike options as well as a large number of viewpoints and colonial towns along the route. Many activities are organized here (especially between December to March), including guided tours, rock climbing, mountain biking as well as rafting. Most hiking tours through the canyon are considered moderately intense to difficult. If you want to cross the entire canyon, you are looking at a four day hike, ending in Chivay town (at 3550 meters above sea level), but there are several different routes. That popular site claims: "There is no need to book an expensive tour as this Colca Canyon trek can be done self guided, cheaply and easily using this detailed route planning guide and 2 – 3 day itinerary. There is no guide requirement for the Colca Canyon trek. The routes are easy to follow and can be done by anyone with basic hiking knowledge." "Trekking options are readily available and start from the tiny and further village of Cabanaconde". Natacha was last in contact with her family when she was at a hostel in Cabanaconde, a nearby town where tourists leave for the hike to the Colca Canyon. From here, they usually take a bus to the canyon. Busses that go to the Colca Valley leave every 30 minutes from the central bus station. There are also luxury hotels situated near the canyon itself though.
* "Trails are generally wide and stable, although many areas are very steep and tend to be covered in loose gravel. Sturdy hiking shoes are recommended and trekking poles are helpful."
* "The sun can be strong in the canyon and there is a noticeable shortage of shade. Starting early and bringing plenty of sun protection is essential. The solar heat can make the long steep climbs even more difficult."
* "Elevations are no greater than 3,400 meters at their peak, which may or may not affect hikers depending on their acclimatization."
* "There are a few 2 day / 1 night and 3 day / 2 night “classic” Colca Canyon trekking route options which most people choose in the canyon. In addition, there are several ways to shorten or lengthen these routes with longer trekking days or by adding side treks to nearby villages. Every option starts with a long and steep descent to the river and ends with an equally long and steep return to town. The western part of the canyon including Llahuar and Belén is the least frequented portion of these main routes."
* "There are accommodations in the canyon, so there is no need to carry camping gear unless you plan on doing an alternate route. Hotels in Cabanaconde will store excess luggage so only the essentials need to be carried on the hike."
* "It is possible to book your accommodations online before the trek if you know your route, or you can shown up and find a hotel on the fly if this is your style.[..] There are several villages in the canyon which have accommodations available for Colca Canyon trekkers. The main towns visited are San Galle, San Juan de Chuccho and Llahuar, but there are also guesthouses in at least Malata, Cosñinhua (directly next to Malata) and the alternative destination of Tapay."
* "There are no ATMs in Cabanaconde so bringing adequate cash is a requirement."
* "Depending on the time of year, natural water sources may be hard to find along the Colca Canyon trek. Bottled water is sold in all villages along the way. Carrying water purification helps cut down on plastic consumption."
-SO, it sounds like this canyon has its fair share of dangers and risks for hikers, including falling down, suffering from sunstroke or dehydration. But at the same time it is a well paved tourist area with a lot of other tourists and amenities in place.
Natacha de Crombrugghe is now being searched by two rescue teams from the National Police of Peru (PNP) in the Jesana area, on the road leading towards Sangalle, in the sector known as The Oasis. The Colca Autonomous Authority (Autocolca) reported that the rescue teams went to this sector, because it is a route that she is expected to have taken to reach the tourist area, located in the bank of the Colca River. The rescue teams, lead by Eloy Cacya, began their search in the Achachihua, San Miguel and Jesana sectors. On Sunday the 6th of Februari, they returned to this place to continue with the rescue efforts towards Sangalle. Eloy Cacya is said to want to summon in another 10 specialized rescuers from Arequipa. Police have reported that Natacha stayed at a hotel in the Cabanaconde district, with the intention of getting to know El Oasis (which is a very touristic, busy area on the edge of the Colca River). The young woman traveled alone to the Colca Valley. Her itinerary and whether she made friends with other tourists or locals is unknown. Although someone named Luis Garrido wrote on facebook that after settling in her hostel/hotel in Cabanaconde, Natacha had met a certain 'Mirko', who works in that hostel. But that she left for the canyon hike alone. Natacha's parents are flying to Peru to help with the searches.
StChristoffel wrote on May 2014: "Amazing experience. We arrived at the oasis after a harsh 6 hour guided walk from Cabanaconde. It was dusk, so we only took a short dive in the pool to cool off from the hike. At night it is was too cold to swim, showers have the same temperature. There are several companies that have little huts for rent (15 soles for a twin) in this oasis. The hut was very basic, only two beds and a lamp, but hey, you are in an oasis in the middle of a desert canyon, that was more than we wished for. As in most remote places in Peru water is scarse. The huts together with the palms, swimming pool, restaurant and the view of the canyon are truly an amazing experience. The food they serve tastes good, you can also order all kinds of soft drinks/juices/beers/cocktails. Take some supplies with you (water!), or be ready to pay a high price as everything has to be brought there by foot. You have to master a pretty steep hike in and out of the canyon, but is definitely worth the effort."
Someone else wrote: "One need to remember that this Oasis is very basic, there is no electricty on the ground and it accessible only by trekking, so one can't expect very high standard or any comfort that require electricity. Rustic rooms are basic as they could be, there is no floor, bed is located on the ground, there is no furniture and there is no electricity - we were provided with the candle. Beer, water and some snacks can be purchased here, but it is more expensive (consider, that all food has to be carried by person or more likely by person on the 6 hours return trip along the steep path). So it is recommended to bring your won food. The swimming pool supplied by mountain water is naturally cold."
And another review: "A magnificient "paradise" at the bottom of the Valley. 24 km of hard but wonderful trekking were you keep finding amazing corners to take pictures and other people to share experiences. I decided to make the route the same day, starting at Cabanaconde (3.200m) going down until the "Oasis" (2.200m) and back up, but you can also spend a night at the lovely resort located at the bottom of the canyon. It is worth the effort, make sure you bring enough water with you. Enjoy!!! 👊💪"
Update February 9th 2022
Update February 12th 2022
Update February 13th 2022
Very unfortunately for Gladys, but thanks to her cooperation with police and the media attention for the disappearance of her young tenant, police in Cabanaconde have found out that her hostel does not have the necessary permits, and is therefore closed immediately. "La Estancia, the hotel where Natacha de Crombrugghe (28) was staying, will be closed by the District Municipality of Cabanaconde, province of Caylloma". In an interview with La República, district mayor Christian Cayani Benavides stated that the lodging did not have an operating license. “It is a new business that had started operating in the midst of the pandemic, before it did not exist. If it wasn't for the case of this tourist, we wouldn't have known that this hotel worked. At no time have the owners regularized their procedures in the municipality," Cayani said. The municipal authority explained that the hotel will be closed until the owners regularize their operating license. In this district there are other informal lodgings, although the mayor did not estimate a number.
After two weeks of searching, the Police have not been able to find any sign of Natacha de Crombrugghe, despite the fact that 90% of the different roads on the left bank of the Colca Valley have been covered, between Cabanaconde and the oasis of Sangalle, an area where the young woman said she was going when she left her accommodation. Lima authorities have offer infrared drone to search for Belgian tourist, which has a thermal camera. "This modern equipment has worked effectively in our district, since we have found missing persons on the slopes of Cerro Centinela, also in different ecological parks thanks to the thermal camera that allows detecting the body temperature of the living or inert body," said the manager. of Disaster Risk Management and Civil Defense of La Molina, Jovan Jevtic, through a press release. Soon, 30 more police officers from the High Mountain Rescue Unit and the Homicide section of the National Police plan to arrive in Cabanaconde. The Belgian ambassador to Peru, Mark Van de Vreken, will also soon arrive in the city of Arequipa to coordinate the search efforts. He will be accompanied by the chief of the IX Macro Police Region, PNP General Miguel Cayetano Cuadros and three officers from the Belgian Federal Police. While disgruntled voices can be heard on social media about the total lack of police force in local cases of missing persons, Peruvian newspapers are starting to pick up that Natacha may not be just any foreign tourist. All these extra search troops and the presence of the Belgian ambassador may be explained, they say, because Natacha de Crombrugghe belongs to one of the most important families in hBelgium. Her father Eric De Crombrugghe is baron van Linkebeek and married to Sabine Verhelst who is a writer in Belgium.
*There has been different information shared online about just how long Natacha was planning to hike that canyon. Initially it was reported that she only went out for a single day hike, and would be back by the evening, at the latest. But now the hostel owner says that Natacha told her she would leave for five whole days. But she left her backpack behind.. How many backpacks did she arrive with, considering Gladys now says that Natacha also left for her canyon hike with a black backpack? So she must therefore have dragged at least two with her, when arriving in Cabanaconde. This is also in fact verified on the CCTV footage image that was published, of Natacha talking with staff of the Pachamama hotel. on January 23. She wears her big turquoise and black coloured backpack on her back then, and her smaller black backpack over her belly. *And who is this Mirko, of whom Gladys stated that he recommendated her hostel to Natacha? Has he been screened and checked out by police? Did Mirko only sent Natacha, alone, to that hostel of Gladys, while other tourists stayed at Mirko's hotel?
*Was there any other guest present that night in 'La Estancia'? Other than Gladys' family? Did they talk to Natacha?
*Where did Natacha have dinner that evening of the 23rd? And is there camera footage of this?
*And why did Natacha leave so early, at 5 AM, but nobody has since seen her? How come nobody remembers seeing her that early morning, in this small town? Not even the farmers who are said to work already out in the surrounding area, according to locals? A commentator called Antenor Victor Concha Barrios wrote for instance: "The Police must investigate the owners of the hostel where she had stayed. It is very rare that she left very early and that no one has seen her, because in those places the farmers get up early to go to the fields and they return late, in the evening. It is very rare that no one has seen her and I imagine that there will be security cameras." Mily Retamozo wrote that "It would be good if they interview Mr. Mirko".
Update February 14th 2022 
Update February 18th 2022
mπράιαν: "At the time I lived in Cabanacon for two months, the place is huge, the fog in the rainy season starts at 2pm, it is most likely that it has gotten lost."
Heidi De La P: "I hope nothing has happened to her, poor girl, the people of the town, and the police must take care of the tourists since they are a source of work for the town."
Shirly L: It is the same as the case of Jesse in Huaraz who after the hotel disappeared, very strange, I think it is the hotel."
Edison G: "I don't understand why those foreigners go it alone when they come to visit certain regions of the country without knowing the dangers there may be."
Dark Side Glas: "The police will be waiting for the family to pay them to just start doing their job like so many other disappearances of European foreigners in Peru, it would not be the first time."
Roger C: "Right where you buy the tickets to go to the Colca Canyon in the bus terminal there is a lot of crime and prostitution that there was not before."
Tfons: "She was already kidnapped by the kids!"
Tess: "Hopefully they find her soon and the same thing doesn't happen that happened with Ciro. I do not know the colca but I notice that these Apus must be respected, since one can easily get lost or have an accident."
Michael J.: Rosario Ponce survived 13 days, so it is possible that the Belgian girl is still alive."
Tiberium135: "Every trekker should carry a powerful GREEN laser, for the nights of course. They have a range of 10km or more. Basic to send an SOS or indicate where one is."
Update April 22nd 2022
"Bad fall or bad encounter? A reward offered to find out the fate of a young tourist who disappeared". The parents of Natacha de Crombrugghe, the Belgian tourist who disappeared in the Colca Canyon, are offering a US$15,000 reward for those who provide information that helps locate the young woman. People who can provide this type of information can contact the cell phone number 959356102. The data they give will be corroborated so that they can be useful in the search and rescue of the young woman. This idea was suggested by the Divincri Homicide and Human Trafficking detectives to the Belgian police officers who arrived in the country to collaborate in the search for Natacha, who disappeared at dawn on January 25 when she went to the Sangalle valley. Natacha has not given any sign of life since January 24. Investigators are continuing on-site searches near the 4,160-meter-deep Colca River Canyon in southern Peru. No scenario is ruled out for the moment. The search should intensify in June,, said RTBF.
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Update May 5th 2022
(source/source) Sabine and Eric de Crombrugghe are exhausted, physically and psychologically. Since January 24, 2022, time has stood still. Their daily life boils down to this frantic quest: to find "Nat", who has disappeared near Cabanaconde, a town of 1,500 inhabitants, perched at an altitude of more than 3,200 meters in the Peruvian Andes. This village serves as a starting point for treks that get lost in the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest in the world. International backpackers rub shoulders with a rural population rooted in its traditions. The parents explained that there are only 8 officers currently looking for their daughter, and they want more staff presence. In addition, they asked that drones be used to find the body of the tourist, and finally find out what happened to her. Mother of Natacha de Crombrugghe, Sabine Verhest says: “Police work is slow and without results.” “Nat must have taken some information before venturing into the canyon. She certainly bought water and fruit… Nobody saw her, it's really strange. People are afraid to talk,” says Sabine, Natacha's mother. At this point, the criminal and accidental tracks coexist. "For us, it's 50/50", explain the parents in Soir Mag. “It wasn't her first trek, Natacha is very sporty and resourceful, we don't think she got lost,” points out Eric. Sabine adds: “She may be in a crevasse or under a landslide. Currently, a private guide, known here, identifies all inaccessible places that have not yet been explored. One of our current actions is to obtain a drone and its pilot to investigate these areas." The local authorities are also still exploring both the accident and foul play narrative. But they ensure that they do not believe that Natacha is still in the canyon. Because they explored it from top to bottom. The parents then say that 98% of the canyon and 140 km of trails have been checked. But the parents also urge the authorities to further explore the crime suspicions.“It is necessary to peel the past of possible suspects, their appointments and their activity on the day Natacha went missing", says Sabine. "But because the case is still officially ruled a 'disappearance', the authorities cannot start a proper criminal investigation. It is a vicious circle: if one does not investigate, one cannot find a clue. And without evidence, one cannot investigate." The parents believe Natacha may be held captive somewhere. "Somebody has to know something!" They now have a lawyer in Peru and still believe that Natacha can be found alive.
Update May 10th 2022
Natacha de Crombrugghe's mobile phone signal was last picked up the day before she disappeared, around 5.25 p.m. on January 23. This was stated by a spokesperson for the Federal Prosecutor's Office, reported by BRUZZ. It is unknown why her phone no longer sent a signal after this precise time. The Belgian justice requisitioned the data of the Peruvian telephone antennas to learn more about the location of Natacha before her disappearance. This information would also make it possible to know more about the people who were in the area at the time of her disappearance. Currently, Natacha de Crombrugghe remains untraceable. The 28-year-old lawyer, originally from Linkebeek, has been missing since January 24. She was doing a solo trek on the Andean highlands.
Update June 8th 2022
At 5:23 p.m. on January 23 of this year, Natacha de Crombrugghe communicated with the world for the last time. Belgian Intelligence Police were able to rescue from the cloud some of the photographs uploaded by the 28-year-old girl, on her route from Cusco and Puno to the Colca Valley, in Arequipa. They also requisitioned data of the Peruvian telecom provider. The data obtained from Natacha's cell phone points also to the Colca Canyon. But Natacha has still not been found. Her parents, Éric and Sabine, continue to search for her, but encounter a lot of 'frustration and emptiness'. The stay in Cabanaconde and have continuously asked the authorities for more investigation, but to little avail. Her parents: "She may still be alive, kidnapped somewhere." Eric de Crombrugghe and Sabine Verhest continue to search in Cabanaconde with private rescuers, hired privately by them. A team of 8 policemen will also soon be formed to help the searches. They are eight of the most experienced police officers in the areas of Human Trafficking, Homicide and Criminalistics, local media announce. "The best and most experienced in this type of case," said the police chief.
Natacha de Crombrugghe's mobile phone signal was last picked up the day before she disappeared, around 5:25 p.m. on January 23. This was stated by a spokesperson for the Federal Prosecutor's Office, reported by BRUZZ. It is unknown why his phone no longer sent a signal after this precise time. There is good hope that investigators will also find out more by now about the other people who were in the area at the time of Natacha's disappearance. Since the beginning of February, many guides and volunteers have gone there to look for Natacha. Police and high mountain rescuers came to join them. More than 70 people excavated more than 495 kilometers. After a month, the research did not lead to huge breakthroughs. In March, after a rainy season and an earthquake, the search was abandoned. Asked by RTL, Natacha's grandmother said she finds it "so incredible that she left like that and that we no longer find a trace of her. What happened?".
Natacha's parents say they are physically and morally exhausted. They appeal: “We are still at the starting point and we are going in circles. We expect the authorities to seriously resume the investigation and answer all our questions. Natacha is somewhere, we can't abandon her. We need to find out what happened and find her." "It's atrocious, a real nightmare", testify her parents. They added: “Mid-March, the Peruvian police informed us that a new witness would have crossed Natacha in the canyon and would have heard an earthquake and a landslide just afterwards. We ask them to verify the veracity of this testimony and to go there to find out if our daughter is buried under the earth and the stones. We live in anguish. But we have no news and have to wait for the meeting with the prosecutor and the people in charge of the case in Belgium to take the plane back to Lima on April 4, determined to do everything to find our daughter." “We are going to Cabanaconde to be close to our daughter and to survey the population ourselves. Everything is known in a small village, but no one dares to speak. In consultation with the lawyer and the police, we decide to offer a reward of 15,000 dollars in order to motivate the inhabitants of Cabanaconde to speak and look for Natacha. We put up posters everywhere in the village, in the Canyon, in Chivay and in Arequipa, especially in travel agencies so that guides and tourists who go hiking in the canyon are looking for Natacha on their way. The announcement is relayed on social networks. But still nothing. Are the people of Cabanaconde afraid to speak? Why?" “The police are waiting for the corn harvest, the decline of the river and the body of Natacha to continue the judicial investigation. Yet everyone, including the police, thinks something happened at the hotel or in Cabanaconde. She may still be alive, trapped somewhere. It's atrocious, it's a real nightmare. People come up to us and say, “No, your daughter is not in the Canyon. Something happened the day before he left.” It can also be with minors. There are underground gold and copper mines in the vicinity. There is everything but nothing really concrete." "The only information that reaches us is that of shamans, energizers, pendulists, mediums and other clairvoyants who either see her dead or alive and each time in a different place!"
Kevin Ramos
Teenager Kevin Ramos disappeared on January 24 (so one day after Natacha). His clothes were found in a rocky area of Yanque and investigations have already been carried out, but so far his body has not been located. The suspicion is that he drowned and that his body has been dragged between the rocks of the Colca River. The relatives of the 14-year-old adolescent denounced the lack of support from the authorities in his search and they spoke out about this in the media. “What we need are divers, personnel who can enter the river”, requested Vanessa Ramos, Kevin's sister, in March already. The honorary consul of Belgium in Peru, Javier Velarde, urged the Peruvian authorities not to reduce the intensity of the search for both Kevin and Natacha. He added that the disappearances of Natacha and Kevin affects the influx of tourists in the Colca Valley. Police have since announced that they will intensify the search for the bodies of both of the two youngsters. The parents of Natacha even offered a reward of 15 thousand soles for those who provide information, but to date there has been no response. There has also been a march for Natacha, for which more than 300 people showed up. It was held in the Sonian forest, to support the parents of Natacha de Crombrugghe. The participants had dressed in green, as a sign of hope. #LookingForNatacha
Update July 14th 2022 - Suspicions of crime
Police of Peru (PNP) believe that the Belgian tourist Natacha de Crombrugghe, who has been missing since January 24 2022, was murdered and then buried somewhere in Caylloma, in Arequipa. They rule out by now that her body will be found in the mountains of the Colca Valley. Eloy Cacya and his team of rescuers have inspected the entire Colca region by now, with the exception of an area known as Garganta del Diablo, a sector declared inaccessible.
PNP carried out a raid on June 29th of the house located next to the Hostal La Estancia in Cabanaconde, where Natacha last stayed. The raid started around midnight and lasted almost five hours. Criminalistics experts from Lima and Arequipa participated, as well as representatives of the Public Ministry. Police had beforehand found out that Natacha most likely joined a party in this adjacent house on the night before her disappearance. The hostel owner and relatives hosted this party. The authorities carried out the unlocking of the property located on Jorge Chávez street, Cabanaconde district, next to the La Estancia lodging. Upon inspection of the place, traces of blood were found on clothing and blankets, the judicial authorities of Peru announced publicly. Blue Star (luminol) reagent was applied at the site and tested positive for luminescent stains on bedding and clothing, which were collected. When they did the same procedure in the dirt yard, a negative result was obtained. "There was an officer from the USAM (guide) and the dog Wally to search for people and human remains in the aforementioned property with a negative result," the report reads. PNP also mentioned that they used a can of 'Waly' to inspect the surroundings of the Cabanaconde cemetery and the geomembrane reservoir in the Puquio Pampa sector. However, they found no remains of the young tourist there either. “At 12:00, the area around the Cabanaconde cemetery was inspected with the aforementioned personnel, but it also came back negative [...] At 12:46 we went to the water tank where the earth was removed, but neither was found nothing," they said.
No other suspicious element has been discovered. Authorities were unable to find any body or bone remains. Investigators have yet to determine if the traces of blood do indeed belong to the Belgian tourist, reports the daily La Republica. The investigators did not specify in which part of the house these traces of blood have been discovered. Since mid-June, a team of investigators from the "Dirección de Investigación Criminal" of Lima have been trying to determine whether the disappearance of Natacha de Crombrugghe could be of a criminal nature. According to a new trail, the latter traveled from the Cabanaconde district to Caylloma, where she was last seen on January 24.
In addition, the owners of the house have been questioned. Gladys López, the owner of the Hotel, is by now claimed to know what happened to Natacha, since her brother-in-law was at the hotel that night. PNP suspects that the young woman would have been killed on the spot and buried. PNP have by now two suspects. Their names are "Aragón" and "El Cóndor" and both men have criminal records for aggravated robbery and other crimes. Natacha's parents, Éric and Sabine, indicated that according to the authorities the subjects were seen the day her daughter disappeared in Cabanaconde. They asked the Homicide Division to retake the statements of all the people who joined this party and who stayed in La Estancia. The parents also pointed out that police have to press Gladys López, the owner of the “La Estancia” hotel, why she has been hiding this detail until now. A detail which could be a fundamental clue in discovering what happened to Natacha. Local media confirmed that both Aragón and El Cóndor are friends of Gladys López and suspicion also falls on several other people who participated in the party. According to Gladys, Natacha de Crombrugghe left her hotel the next morning around 05:00, alone, for a hike to the canyon of Colca. But she had left a backpack in the hotel room.
The Homicide Police are now awaiting the results for the month of July and stop the investigation until these results come in. It is public knowledge that the luminol test was positive for a bloodstain, but it remains to be determined whether it belongs to the Belgian tourist or not.
What did Natasha's parents say about the search?
The United States have meanwhile asked Americans NOT to travel to Peru, due to high rates of crime and terrorism. The Department of State of the United States told its citizens to reconsider their trips to Peru, or in any case not to travel to this side of America. This due to the high rates of crime, delinquency and terrorism in Peru. This request was reinforced by the disappearance of Natasha de Crombrugghe. "Drug trafficking and other criminal activities, combined with poor infrastructure limit the capacity and effectiveness of law enforcement in this area”, according to the State Department. Natacha de Crombrugghe is not the only women who went missing in Peru. As it stands, there are almost 5,000 women reported missing so far in 2022, according to the National Registry of Information of Disappeared Persons ('Reniped'). Less than half of them were ever found.
Authorities sent the sheet with blood to the city of Lima to carry out expert testing. By the start of August 2022 we will know if the blood/body fluids found in the house next to the hotel belong to Natacha or not. In general, this type of expertise takes months, but due to media pressure due to the fact that it is a tourist, the process will be accelerated. If tests turn out to be positive, the case will be taken by the Homicide detectives of the Criminal Investigation Division (Divincri) and the results will come out in the first days of August, they affirmed from the National Police.
Alberto Fedele (30) goes missing in Peru
14 July 2022
Seven months after Natacha de Crombrugghe mysteriously disappeared in the Andes, another tourist has gone missing. Peruvian police launched a search on Monday to try to find an Italian tourist who had been missing for several days while hiking in the Andes.
Alberto Fedele (30) left the city of Urubamba on July 4 to go hiking in the Juchuycocha lagoon, in the Cuzco region (southeast). He started to walk towards San Isidro Chicon community and then to the Juchuycocha Lake, located at the foot of Chicon Mountain. An excursion to 4,800 meters, He never returned to Abancay, the city where he works as a data analyst for the NGO "WeWorld". He has not given any sign of life since that date and his mobile phone is off, police said. For eleven days now, there has been no news of Alberto Fedele. Last contact was a voice message he sent to a friend at 5 in the morning on Monday 4 July. Alberto Fedele's phone rang empty for days. It was on, but no one ever answered. It is now turned off. Research in the Peruvian Andes continues: police officers specialized in patrolling the high mountains, firefighters and drones are engaged to look for any trace of the young man.
“The police have been deployed, not only those from Urubamba, but also specialized agents to search this” mountainous sector, Colonel Julio Becerra told local radio RPP. "We have drones in support," he added. The disappearance was reported by a friend of the Italian tourist. Urumba, which has 15,000 inhabitants, is very popular with tourists who visit Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is located about fifty km north of Cuzco, on the road to the Inca citadel. The organization for which Alberto works, WeWorld, has been present in Peru since 2002, supporting the most vulnerable families, agricultural cooperatives and shepherds in the Andes area. Alberto Fedele had been working in WeWorld's Abancay office since April 2022. Volunteer rescuers from the Cusco-based Red Cross will now join search efforts undertaken by the National Police of Peru for Fedele. In the past five years, two other tourists, a Spaniard and an American, have disappeared in the area, according to local press.
The remains that were found 15 days ago in a canyon in the Andes in Peru are those of the missing 28-year-old Belgian tourist Natacha de Crombrugghe. This was reported by the Peruvian prosecutor's office on Thursday. "The provincial prosecutor's office (...) has confirmed that the skeletal remains found in the riverbed of the Colca River, in Huambo (Arequipa region, southeastern Peru), belong to the Belgian tourist Natacha de Crombrugghe," said the Peruvian public prosecutor. ministry in a statement. The body, found on September 19, was identified "thanks to a DNA test on the victim's relatives," the prosecution said, without specifying the cause of death.Natacha's parents confirmed the news in a short press release on Thursday night, October 8. “We just received the results of the DNA tests and it concerns our daughter.” “Police are still investigating whether Natacha accidentally fell into the river while trekking in Colca Canyon on January 24 or whether it was murder. We don't know any more at the moment.”
The remains, a skull and a complete skeleton, were found in the region where the Belgian tourist disappeared. On September 19, a group of fishermen from the Choco bridge who were carrying out their work in the Colca River saw bone remains stuck in the middle of two huge rocks, so they reported the discovery to the authorities, according to their own versions. But due to the remoteness of the area and the wildness of the place, they reported it the next day, September 20th. Prosecutor Jesús Manuel Gallegos Basurco from the El Pedregal Provincial Criminal Criminal Prosecutor's Office subsequently arrived at the place of discovery, and participated in the diligence carried out in the sector called Tultinza, together with Homicide police personnel and forensic doctor Cristhian Saravia, who reported that the remains in a mummified state, were found in the middle of two three-meter rocks on the edge of the Colca River.
The remains were transferred to the city of Arequipa for further research and now appear to be those of De Crombrugghe. The Public Prosecution Service specifies in a press release that DNA samples from her parents matched with "the femur found", enabling "the biological relationship and identity of the Belgian citizen" to be established. When fishermen along the banks of the Colca River found a skull in September, the link was immediately made with the missing Natacha de Crombrugghe. Initially, however, her parents had many doubts about the find: “The so-called body found by fishermen is a macabre mise-en-scene of an ancient skull between two rocks with wooden legs. The police are on site. There is little chance that it is Natacha.” Belgian investigators also questioned the breakthrough. The skull lay next to some pieces of wreckage. It looked as if someone had wanted to stage a body. When the skull was recovered, it turned out to be between rocks, on which were some pieces of wood that may have washed ashore and gave the appearance of a partial skeleton. However, the skeleton that belonged to the skull was found under the rocks. Initial autopsy results revealed that the body of a white woman was between 25 and 30 years old. The bone remains were examined last weekend by forensic experts. According to local authorities, the investigation revealed remains of roots and stones embedded in the skull. That would show that the then unidentified woman was not murdered, but probably died in a fall. The body in question was naked, but that would be explained by the strength of the river's current. - Very sad news. Update: It is still believed that Natacha made an unlucky fall during her hike and fell into the river, which swept her to her death,,,
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