An Australian tourist has been found dead after attempting a demanding hike to a remote cave in Thailand.
Edward Alchin, 69, from Sydney, was discovered unconscious at the Tiger Cave in Krabi province on Friday afternoon.
Just moments earlier he posted a photo of the stunning view to Facebook showing the steep stairs leading to the top with the caption: 'Just 1000 more steps'
The Aussie - who had been travelling alone - made the difficult journey to climb 1,260 steps to the popular tourist spot.
Mr Alchin reached the observation deck at the mountain's summit, but felt dizzy from fatigue and later collapsed.
Mr Alchin (pictured) reached the
observation deck at the mountain's summit, but felt dizzy from fatigue and later collapsed
Just
moments earlier he posted a photo of the stunning view to Facebook showing the steep stairs leading to the top with the caption: 'Just 1000 more steps'
He was found near the base of a Buddha statue by a passing local who raised the alarm.Tourists called rescuers who performed CPR, but it took an hour for emergency services to reach the platform.
Paramedics attempted to resuscitate Mr Alchin but he was pronounced dead at the scene. It took another hour to carry his body back down the steps.Police Lieutenant Attakowit Sungkasit of Mueang Krabi Police Station said Mr Alchin had arrived at the temple alone on a rented motorcycle.
Lieutenant Sungkasit said the man left his bag and passport with temple staff and told them he 'would be back soon' before embarking on the hike.
'Witnesses said he was healthy and had a lot of energy,' the officer said.'There are no suspicious circumstances, but it was very hot that day, so the conditions would have made it harder.'
A doctor who conducted a brief post-mortem examination said Mr Alchin may have suffered a cardiac arrest after climbing the steep stairs.
Temperatures reach more than 35C in the south of the country, making strenuous exercise dangerous in some cases.
Attempts to revive Mr Alchin were unsuccessful and he died at the scene Edward Alchin, 69, from Sydney, was discovered unconscious at the Tiger Cave in Krabi province in
travel thailand on Friday afternoon
Mr Alchin had climbed the 1,260 steps to the popular Thailand tourist spot, the Tiger Cave Emergency services were called to the scene but it took an hour for travel thailand travel thailand them to reach the platform Mr Alchin's body was transported to Krabi Hospital while officers contacted the Australian embassy to inform relatives of his death.
Temple staff have since requested visitors refrain from hiking to the cave if they were not physically prepared.
In Februrary, a German tourist was rescued after falling into a limestone cave in Krabi.Fried Ingeborg, 61, was exploring the caves of the Khao Khanab Nam mountains when she slipped and injured herself, with paramedics arriving to bring her down a 100ft flight of steps on a stretcher.
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