WHAT started out as a reunion for a group of friends from Castlecomer nearly ended in tragedy when they were trapped up a mountain in the Peruvian countryside as terrifying mudslides cut them off from civilisation and killed at least 20 people.

Patricia Owens, Siobhan Phelan, Noreen Boland and Tony Boland were stranded in the town of Aguas Calientes - the gateway to the ancient site of Machu Picchu - with no food, water, and thousands of other people for several days before they finally made it to safety last Friday.

The four, along with three other friends - Charlotte Kehoe and Sandra Redmond from Wexford and Beth Holler from America - were part of a group trekking towards Machu Picchu, when five days of torrential rain caused the deadly mudslides which started on January 24. The heavy rain had been expected, as it was the rainy season, but it took several days for the gravity of the situation to reach the hikers up the mountain.

On the third day of their four day trek, that the group were informed that a guide and a tourist in a group just ahead of them on the Inca trail were killed by a landslide.

The group was so close to Machu Picchu at that point they were told to coninue on to the top, as it was believed to be the safest option at that time.

After a brief but memorable visit to the site, they were forced to spend the night at the ancient site, sleeping on a restaurant floor with 260 other travellers, rather than return to Aguas Calientes which was in a state of chaos with thousands of travellers and locals stranded there. Access to the town was only possible by hiking or train, but all vital infrastructure in the area was washed away, leaving it completely isolated.

Patricia’s mother Patti Owens spoke to the Kilkenny People about her daughter’s terrifying ordeal.

“Patricia’s group were nearly at the top of the mountain when the mudslides started, but they were told to continue on to the top because they were so close,” Patti said. “But the rain was so bad they had to keep opening their tents to pour all the water out. When they came back down into the town, they realised there was no way out as the mud had ruined all the roads and railways lines. They were trapped.”

Patti said she had no idea about dangerous situation her daughter was in until several days after the mudslides started.

“I hadn’t heard anything about it, then my son rang from London and said he’d seen it on CNN. He asked if I’d heard from Patricia and I said I hadn’t. I was quite tormented, I didn’t know what was wrong,” she said.

A member of the Boland family quickly got in touch with the Department of Foreign Affairs, which confirmed that the ‘Comer four were stranded in Peru, but said they were safe and awaiting evacuation.

“It was Friday morning before I heard from Patricia and by then she’d already walked out to safety,” Patti said.