A tragic accident occurred involving a railroad worker, reported Jhonathan Castillo Gonzalez, a captain with the Cuzco police department.

Following the incident, the railway company suspended services on the line connecting Machu Picchu to the city of Cuzco. This decision was made after a train traveling from Machu Picchu collided with another train heading toward the iconic site, near the archaeological location of Qoriwayrachina, earlier in the afternoon.

The exact cause of the crash remains unclear as authorities continue their investigation. However, the scene was captured in videos circulating on local media, showing train cars with shattered windows and dented sides, stranded on tracks that run between a dense forest and a towering rock face.

No further details about what had caused the crash were immediately available.

Videos on local media showed train cars with broken windows and dented sides stuck along a rail line hemmed in between a lush forest and a massive rock.

Machu Picchu gets about 1.5 million visitors per year, mostly arriving by train to the nearby town of Aguas Calientes.

Known for its perfectly fitting stone bricks, the site was built in the 15th century by the Incas and served as a sanctuary for the nation’s emperors.

The number of people visiting Machu Picchu has increased by about 25 per cent over the past decade, but tourism in the area has also been affected by political turmoil and disputes over how the site is managed, with protesters sometimes blocking the railroad that leads to the ancient site.

Machu Picchu can also be reached on foot, with visitors trekking from the small town of Ollantaytambo. The trek takes about four days.