Peru: 11 Killed, 6 Injured After Boat Carrying Churchgoers Crashed Into Freight Barge In Amazon

The government of Peru confirmed that at least 11 individuals were killed in a boat accident in the country's Amazon on Sunday.

The Peruvian government said the boat accident also left several others missing, while six were reported injured. The tragic incident in the Peruvian Amazon happened at around 4.20 a.m. (local time) at the Huallaga River, a tributary of the Amazon river, situated in Muyuna.

Peru Boat Accident in Amazon: Children Among the Victims

The boat accident, which involved the wooden passenger vehicle, Ayachi, hit a freight barge amid early morning fog. The force caused the Ayachi to capsize.

Peru's National Institute of Civil Defense said there were still several "undetermined" missing persons who had boarded the boat. Up to 70 people were feared to have drowned, and at least 20 children were believed to be included in the incident's death toll, The Irish Sun reported.

A survivor said there were about 20 children on the Ayachi boat. The boat collected at least 80 people at around 1 a.m. who had gathered for a vigil at their New Jerusalem church. Another survivor said Ayachi was slowly sailing on the river to avoid collision due to the thick fog.

"It was dark. Nothing was visible," said the unnamed survivor who lost his wife and seven-year-old son in the accident. He added that they fell into the water seconds after their boat was struck by a barge carrying oil with no lights.

The survivor also shared that most of the victims do not know how to swim. He said they were under the boat but managed to get out.

The passengers reportedly belonged to a religious community returning to the town of Yurimaguas after a night vigil. The said vigil happened at a secluded hamlet in the jungle of Santa Maria.

Al Jazeera reported that local television footage showed survivors crying on the riverbanks as authorities carried some of the victims' bodies away from the site.

Firefighters, police officers, and sailors were asked to search for those who disappeared. The Irish Sun reported that local people also offered their help to locate the missing victims of the boat accident.

Other Boat Accidents in Peru

It was not the first time that Peru witnessed a fatal boat accident. In July 2009, at least 20 people, including children, died when two boats crashed in the Ucayali River. The said accident happened near San Jose de Panache, a small town in Peru's Amazon rainforest.

The boats that crashed into each other were reported to come from Pucallpa and were both heading to Iquitos, a city located in Northeastern Peru.

Authorities did not provide other details regarding the incident. But two survivors reportedly have been brought to Puerto Callao after they were rescued from the said river.

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written By: Joshua Summers

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