A THREE-year-old girl is among two people dead and seven missing after a packed tourist boat sank just minutes into its journey into Brazil’s Amazon.
The vessel went down near the famous Meeting of the Waters in Manaus on Friday afternoon.
The vessel capsized shortly after starting its journey near the Meeting of the Waters, leading to a frantic rescue effort
Dozens of passengers were rescued from the water by other nearby boats
Dozens of passengers were left thrashing in the river as other boats raced to pull them from the water.
The boat had left Manaus bound for Nova Olinda do Norte at around 12.30pm.
It sank near the tourist hotspot where the Rio Negro and Rio Solimões run side by side for miles without mixing.
Shocking footage shows passengers scattered across the black and brown waters, some clinging to life jackets, others gripping floating debris.
According to firefighters, two people died, seven remain missing and 71 were rescued.
The Amazonas State Health Department confirmed the death of three-year-old girl Samila de Souza, Brazilian outlet Globo reported.
She was taken to a local children’s hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The second victim was identified by the Forensic Medical Institute as 22-year-old Lara Bianca.
Her body was brought to the fire department’s river patrol unit at the Port of Manaus around 6pm before being transferred to the local forensic institute.
Colonel Elliton, commander of the specialized firefighters, said most of those saved escaped serious injury.
He told Globo: “Most of them had already been rescued by boats passing by the area; the assistance was provided by specialized teams focused on pre-hospital care and rescue for those who were still in the water.”
Around 25 firefighters, three boats and eight fire department vehicles were deployed, alongside a police boat and an ambulance.
Divers searched beneath the surface while other teams scanned the riverbanks of the Solimões.
The Brazilian Navy deployed a river rescue team and a helicopter to the scene to find passengers and launch an initial inquiry into the accident.
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Eze Chidiebere Paul
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