January 1, Texas Man Mysteriously Vanishes on Vacation

A 66-year-old American tourist suddenly vanished while visiting ancient Mayan ruins in a remote Guatemalan jungle.

Raymond Vincent Ashcroft was visiting the iconic temple ruins in Tikal, an ancient Mayan city deep in the rainforests of northern Guatemala, on Feb. 3 when he disappeared without a trace, local authorities said.

Ashcroft’s wife, Van Phung, told a local media outlet that she and her husband were on a vacation with a bird-watching group. Phung said her husband of 40 years decided to go back to their hotel room, while she stayed behind to take more photos of wildlife at Tikal.

When Phung returned to the hotel, Ashcroft was nowhere to be found. Shortly after his disappearance had been reported to the authorities, a search party made up of police, agents from the tourist civil authority, and soldiers dispatched to look for Ashcroft, officials said.

It’s been seven weeks since Ashcroft’s disappearance, and authorities are no closer to finding answers.

Guatemalan authorities notified Interpol of the situation. Interpol issued a yellow notice — which help locate missing persons.

Tikal National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracts 200,000 visitors annually, according to World Heritage Outlook. It was inhabited from the 6th century B.C. to the 10th century A.D. and was later abandoned. Tikal, one of the most important ancient Mayan citadels, stretches across 57,600 hectares.

Source: New York Post