British tourist, 34, dies after being robbed while hiking in Colombia and left at the bottom of a mountain trail for two days
- The victim, 34, was attacked by robbers at a mountain viewpoint in Medellin
- He is believed to have been hit over the head with the butt of a rifle by robbers
A British tourist has died after being attacked by robbers while hiking along a mountain trail in Colombia.
The 34-year-old was found two days after his disappearance and rushed to hospital in critical condition before succumbing to his multiple injuries, including head wounds.
The victim, who has not been named, has been described locally as a Swedish-born man who held a British passport and lived and worked in the Kent town of Ashford.
His body is now in Medellin’s Forensic Medicine Institute.
The victim was said to have been on a long vacation when he was killed. He is believed to have been hit on the head with the butt of a rifle by robbers who stole his belongings after he hiked to the Hill of Three Crosses.
The British tourist is said to have been hit on the head with the butt of a rifle by robbers who stole his belongings after he hiked to the Hill of Three Crosses (pictured in file image)
He was found at the bottom of a drop near the top of the hill, where he is believed to have been abandoned after being attacked.
He was taken to a nearby health center before being rushed to Medellin’s general hospital, where he died despite undergoing life-saving surgery just before noon local time on Wednesday.
He reportedly managed to tell medics that he was attacked and robbed by three men who stole all of his belongings before he lost his fight for life.
The Hill of Three Crosses, Cerro De Las Tres Cruces in Spanish, is a short but intense hike that offers breathtaking views of the city of Medellin.
In addition to three small crosses on the top, it has an outdoor gym.
Holidaymakers who took the same hike and posted comments online say they felt very safe climbing the trail, but warn against going late in the day as it starts to get dark and admit they have heard of people who are robbed at night.
The robbery victim has been described as the first foreign person killed in Medellin so far this year, following 10 murders of foreigners in the city last year.
No arrests have yet been made, though police chief Henry Yesid Bello is said to have said detectives had some information pointing to the criminals believed to be responsible.
