Concern grew for Hannah Almond, a fashion graduate from Grimsby in Lincolnshire, after she became stranded from her friends in Peru during a backpacking holiday
A British tourist feared in grave danger after vanishing in Peru has been found.
Hannah Almond, 32, was discovered slumped on the pavement by a Good Samaritan days after she became stranded from her pals in Cusco, a city in the Andes. Writing on a GoFundMe page, one friend described the breakthrough as “a huge relief”.
But it is thought Hannah, who is a fashion graduate, will require psychiatric care before flying home. It is said she initially refused to accept assistance, with psychosis triggered by the trauma of being violently robbed leaving her too frightened to engage closely with officials or locals.
One friend said: “It is a huge relief that she has been found, when she stopped contacting people we were worried she had been trafficked and we would never hear from her again.
“He (the Good Samaritan) found her just asleep on the street, and one of her friends has flown out from the UK to Cusco to try and persuade her to come home. We want her home in the next few days.”
Hannah travelled to Peru in March on a yoga retreat to “find herself,” friends say. However, Hannah lost contact with her friends there and thugs allegedly burned her possessions. She lost her phone, passport and was left penniless after she was attacked in the city of Cusco.
Speaking earlier this week, a family friend said: “She is one of the most pure loving souls ever – she is very generous and always wants to help people. But she does not trust anyone after getting robbed and assaulted. Some locals burned all her belongings from under the bridge.
“She was contacting her mum every now and then through other people’s phones. Police went to check on her two days ago and she has not been seen since. Cusco is a trafficking hotspot, so it’s very worrying.”
Worried friends, from Hannah’s hometown of Grimsby, Lincolnshire, had described the situation as “extremely urgent.” A message on the fundraising page reads: ‘Hannah travelled to Peru in March hoping for an adventure, but instead, she has found herself in a terrifying and heartbreaking situation. She was robbed and assaulted, losing her passport, phone, and all of her money. Since then, Hannah’s mental health has severely declined.”
More than 100,000 Brits travel to Peru every year with most stopping in Cusco which is the gateway to Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail.
The current Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice warns a number of Brit tourists have been targeted by armed robbers in recent years. It adds: “Personal attacks, including sexual assaults, are infrequent but do happen, mostly in the Cusco and Arequipa areas.”
Money raised on the GoFundMe page will go toward family and friends flights, accommodation, emergency care and food while Hannah’s family and friends are in Peru, it is said.