12 killed as two boats collide in Amazon rainforest

At least 12 people were killed and about 50 missing after a landslide occurred on two ships docked at a river port in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest, local media reported.

The landslide sank a ferry and seriously damaged another passenger ship carrying dozens of people, Andina news agency cited police reports.

The incident occurred at around 05:00 local time (10:00 GMT) as passengers prepared to disembark at Iparía in the country’s central Ucayali region on Monday.

The injured have been taken to hospital and the National Police and Peruvian Navy are searching for more survivors. There are fears that children are among the missing.

The landslide was caused by “erosion” of the banks of the Ucayali River, the source of the country’s Amazon river. National Emergency Operations Center Said on X.

According to AFP, there were about 50 people on board one of the boats.

A navy official told AFP the rescue operation was hampered by strong river water.

Reuters quoted Andina as saying that among the passengers were children, teachers and doctors.

Authorities are working with families gathered at the disaster site to try to determine how many people still need to be found.

One of the boats had left Pucallpa on Sunday and headed north toward the riverside communities of Caco Macaya, Curiaca del Caco and Pueblo Nuevo del Caco, local media reported.