At least 12 people have died, 20 injured and approximately 50 still missing after a landslide struck two boats docked in Peru's Amazon rainforest region, local media reports.
The landslide sank a ferry and seriously damaged another passenger vessel - carrying dozens of passengers - docked at a river port, according to a police report cited by State news agency Andina.
At around 5am local time on Monday the landslide hit as passengers were set to disembark at a port area of Iparia, 415km north-east of Lima, hitting two boats on their way to other towns on the riverside, local health agency Diresa Ucayali said.
The tragedy occurred in Peru's central Ucayali region.
One boat, Rapido Oriente, was completely submerged, while another, the Deo Rigo, suffered serious damages, Andina reported.
The Deo Rigo was travelling from a nearby indigenous community and had stopped in Iparia so passengers could disembark when the landslide happened.
Esta madrugada se produjo un #Accidente de transporte fluvial en el distrito de #Iparia, provincia de Coronel Portillo (Ucayali), que ha dejado personas desaparecidas, fallecidas y heridas. Personal de la municipalidad provincial realiza la #EDAN. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/FFpJhAihKk
— COEN - INDECI (@COENPeru) December 1, 2025
One of the boats had departed Pucallpa, capital of the Ucayali region, on Sunday and was travelling towards the riverside communities of Caco Macaya, Curiaca del Caco, and Pueblo Nuevo del Caco, local media reports.
Andina reports that teachers, doctors and children were among the passengers on the boats.
The news agency said national police and Peruvian Navy units were dispatched by helicopters to help the rescue efforts.
The injured have been taken to hospital while police and the Navy look for more survivors. It is feared that children are among the missing.
Peru's National Emergency Operations Centre said the landslide was caused by erosion of the bank of the Ucayali River - the headwater of the Amazon.
Rescue operations have been hindered by the fast-flowing river waters, a navy official told AFP.
Authorities are working with families gathered at the scene of the disaster to try to determine exactly how many people still need to be found.
