Peru: Landslide sinks boats, 12 dead, 40 missing
What's the story
A landslide on the Ucayali River in central Peru has left at least 12 dead and dozens missing. The incident occurred on Monday when two boats were submerged at the Iparia port in Ucayali's Amazon jungle region, as reported by AFP. The national emergency operations center (COEN) confirmed that one boat had around 50 passengers, while there were none on the second vessel.
Rescue challenges
Rescue efforts hindered by challenging conditions
Navy captain Jonathan Novoa confirmed that nine bodies have been recovered from the river. He also said 25 people were injured and around "40 missing." The rescue efforts are being hampered by fast-moving currents and whirlpools in the river. Novoa said, "We are in the flood season...and at the time of the accident, there was fog, and the tasks are complicated."
Operations
Police deployment in response to river emergency
Police personnel are also involved in carrying out search and rescue operations. In a post on X, the national police said, "River patrols, rescue teams, and specialized units are working tirelessly to locate the missing and assist those affected." It added that it "is maintaining a constant operation in the area, expanding the search perimeters and coordinating with local authorities to strengthen the response."
Twitter Post
Visuals of rescue operations by police
🚨 #Ucayali | Despliegue policial ante emergencia fluvial en IparÃa
— PolicÃa Nacional del Perú (@PoliciaPeru) December 1, 2025
Efectivos polciales ejecutan acciones de búsqueda y rescate tras el hundimiento de dos embarcaciones en el puerto de IparÃa.
Patrullas fluviales, equipos de rescate y unidades especializadas trabajan sin descanso… pic.twitter.com/YTjpBNO7Mw
Incident cause
Erosion of riverbank causes tragic incident
The COEN said on X that the tragedy occurred at dawn due to "erosion" of the Ucayali riverbank. Local television channel UTV Noticias showed scenes of chaos along the riverbank as families searched for their loved ones amid floating luggage and merchandise from the sunken boats. Authorities are working with relatives at the scene to determine how many people are still unaccounted for after this tragic incident.