American tourist vanishes from ancient Mayan city

Raymond Vincent Ashcraft went missing nearly seven weeks ago

Raymond Vincent Ashcraft went missing on 3 February at the Tikal National Park in Guatemala Park (Jam Press)

An American tourist has mysteriously disappeared in an ancient Mayan city.

Raymond Vincent Ashcraft went missing nearly seven weeks ago, Jam Press reports.

The local authorities announced that the search will continue indefinitely.

Raymond disappeared while visiting the Tikal National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Petén Department, Guatemala on 3 February.

Search operations to find the tourist got underway on 3 February.

A surveillance team searches the national park every day with the support of the National Civil Police, firefighters, and elements of the Guatemalan Army and the National Coordination for Disaster Reduction.

The authorities are also reviewing CCTV footage around the Tikal National Park and have requested reports from telephone companies and the Guatemalan Institute of Migration.

The search team has been scouring a 16km radius area from where the US tourist was last seen.

They have also been investigating whether Raymond could have left the national park.

The authorities have informed Interpol, who have activated a yellow alert.

The Public Ministry has also informed personnel at the site to continue daily searches for the unforeseeable future.

Tikal National Park, one of the most important archaeological sites in Guatemala, receives thousands of foreign tourists every year.

In January 2022, German tourist Baitz Stephan, 53, was found dead in the park after being reported as missing two days earlier when he separated from his group.