Lima, June 25 (IANS): At least nine fishermen were killed early Tuesday when two fishing boats collided off Peru's southern Pacific coast, an official source said. Another three people were injured and three were reported missing in the accident.
The boat Tasa collided into the Marisol II some 20 km off the coast of the fishing port of Pisco, Xinhua quoted Colver Ruiz Roa, a spokesperson for Peru's navy, as saying.
"The navy is continuing to search for the missing," said the spokesperson, who is overseeing the search and rescue operations.
Authorities have mobilised a search helicopter, a Fokker aircraft, two patrol boats, and a team of specialised divers to help find the missing. Several fishing boats have joined the navy in its searching efforts.
Relatives of the disaster victims arrived in Pisco, located 250 km south of the capital Lima, to await news of their loved ones missing or injured.
Authorities have also launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.