German tourist dies attempting selfie photo at Machu Picchu, Peru

CUZCO , Peru, July 1 (UPI) -- Police recovered a German tourist's body from a ravine at Machu Picchu, the ancient site in the Peruvian Andes, after he fell attempting to take a selfie photo.

Officials said Oliver Park, 51, a German national, entered a restricted area and ignored warning signs before he fell more than 300 feet into a rock-strewn ravine.

They added he was seen attempting to take a photo of himself, jumping in the air as if flying, but lost his footing. His body was recovered Thursday and taken to a local police station.

The site, at nearly 8,000 feet elevation, was built in the 15th century by the Incan civilization. It was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. It greets more than 1 million tourists per year, and is accessible by a hike along mountain walls or by train. Tourist deaths are rare but generally attributable to altitude sickness or hiking accidents.