Lima, Sep 5 (IANS): At least six people drowned after their boat capsized in a river that runs through east-central Peru's jungle region of Ucayali, local authorities confirmed.
According to the head of the Port Captaincy, Jonathan Novoa, the boat, identified as CR, left the port of Pucallpa at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday local time bound for the city of Atalaya, but suffered an accident around 1.30 a.m. Wednesday, possibly colliding with an object submerged by a rise in the river, Xinhua news agency reported quoting state agency Andina.
Some 48 people, including several teachers and minors, were on board the vessel, which had a capacity for 68 passengers and had met all safety requirements, such as having life jackets, according to authorities.
The tragedy came on the heels of another similar incident Sunday, when a boat sank in northern Peru's Loreto region, killing at least four people, including a minor.