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Peruvian police close investigation into Belgian woman’s disappearance

12:28 08/03/2022

The Peruvian police have ruled out criminal intent in the investigation into the disappearance of Belgian tourist Natacha de Crombrugghe, according to reports from Peruvian news outlet La Republica.

Homicide investigators spent 30 days looking into the disappearance of de Crombrugghe, who went missing while solo hiking in the mountainous region. 

More than 15 people who saw de Crombrugghe between 23 and 24 January were interrogated as part of the investigation, and luminol tests were done in multiple lodgings in the town of Cabanaconde but turned up nothing suspicious. 

Police also followed the route that she had taken using the GPS on her mobile phone, but again found nothing. 

They did learn that de Crombrugghe asked one of the owners of a hostel if they could share their WiFi with her, but that marked the end of the trail from her mobile phone. Police also consulted security cameras as part of their investigation.

Their report will be presented to the Belgian consulate in Peru, then forwarded to the Belgian police, who are conducting their own investigation. 

Missing since end of January

De Crombrugghe has been missing since 24 January, when she went for a walk in the Colca valley and never returned.

The 28-year-old Belgian from just outside of Brussels was supposed to have left a hostel in the village of Cabanaconde for a trek through the Colca Canyon, a deep, wide gorge in the south of the country.

A Belgian team of investigators was also deployed to the region to investigate the disappearance, but has so far been unable to reach any conclusions.

Update: Peruvian police said on Wednesday that contrary to previous announcements about the case being closed, they are not only keeping the investigation into the disappearance of de Crombrugghe open, but are furthermore expanding the search area and not ruling out criminal intent.

Belgian authorities emphasised that their own investigation has certainly not been concluded, and De Crombrugghe's parents told Belga News Agency that no possibilities have been ruled out. Investigators from the Peruvian police said they intended to continue their search once weather conditions in the area allowed for it.