A 55-year-old British father and his 27-year-old son have been found dead after being electrocuted by a snapped electrical cable while hiking in Brazil.

Both men had burns on their bodies consistent with a powerful electric shock, local media reported.

Their bodies were discovered on June 30 on a coastal path in Ubatuba, in the state of Sao Paulo.

The father was found with one end of the mains power cable broken under his body, police said.

The promenade, between Bonete and Fortaleza beaches, is a popular path with vacationers and visitors.

As police tried to identify the bodies, the father’s cell phone rang with a call from his niece who was trying to locate him.

The bodies of the father and son were only located when engineers from the electricity company Elektro went to investigate a power outage near Bonete beach.

Their car was later found in a nearby parking lot.
Police investigating the case have recorded suspicious or accidental deaths.

In a statement, the electricity distribution company, Neoenergia Elektro, expressed deep regret for the accident and said it was also investigating how it happened.

Tourism Department Deputy Secretary Rodrigo Andrade said in a statement: “The Tourism Department sympathizes with the incident and regrets the death of two tourists this weekend on the trail from Fortaleza to Bonete.

“Unfortunately, the incident occurred in an unregulated area for ecotourism, which is an old access used by local residents and is not open to ecotourism activities.”

He added: “We would like to reiterate the importance of using an approved agency and qualified tourist guides who can carry out this activity with professionalism and competence, thus ensuring the safety of people on the trails.”

The Foreign Office told The Sun: “We are in contact with local authorities following the deaths of two British people in Brazil.”