At least 12 people died and another 30 remained missing this Monday night, after a landslide that sank two boats anchored in a river port of Ucayali, in Peru. Among the dead are four children.
The landslide occurred during the early hours of this Monday and dragged the two ships, one of which had left hours before from the port of Pucallpa. with about 65 occupants, destined for several indigenous communities in the region. The remaining one, meanwhile, was unoccupied.
“There are 12 deaths. Initially we had 20 injured who have already been discharged,” said the regional director of Health, Patrich Pantoja, who also reported that they lost track of a group of “between 30 and 36 people.”
The authorities also clarified that the majority of victims of this episode belong to original communities. Meanwhile, they also indicated that, in the attempt to save their lives, many ran desperately along the shore, while their luggage and all the items they were carrying sank.
“A very large ravine fell and the boat sank quickly.people came out through the windows to save themselves,” one of the survivors told the Puerto Belén Native Community portal.
🚨Rescue units are being deployed in Iparia-Ucuyali to intensify search operations and support for affected families. We continue working tirelessly! #rescue #Pucallpa pic.twitter.com/l8SDuuoGv3
— National Police of Peru (@PoliciaPeru) December 2, 2025
He National Emergency Operations Center (COEN), which belongs to the Civil Defense area, reported on the social network
“Support from the Navy was requested for search and rescue actions,” the agency indicated, adding that there are “missing, dead and injured people.”
The search operation, carried out by the Navy and the National Police of Peru, is being carried out in an area that is difficult to access because the Ucayali is a fast-flowing river, “and due to the depth and the removal of land” derived from the climatological phenomenon that triggered this episode.
“We are in a time of growing (…) and at the time of the accident There has been fog and the tasks are complicated“said Captain Jonathan Novoa.
Although rescue efforts continued throughout Monday, they did not rule out that they could be suspended due to “visibility problems” at night.
On the other hand, the authorities were investigating whether the boat had arrived with excess passengers. The regional director of Health did not rule out that the transport had been done “informally”, without the respective security measures.