9 dead, dozens missing after tourist boat sinks in Colombia

The El Almirante.
(Image credit: Juan Quiroz/AFP/Getty Images)

A tourist boat carrying around 150 people sank near Medellin, Colombia, on Sunday, killing at least nine people and leaving dozens more missing.

The accident took place at the Guatapé-El Peñol reservoir, a popular spot for vacations. Witnesses told El Tiempo newspaper that the boat, named the El Almirante, broke apart, and the captain ordered the passengers to all go on one side. Rescued passengers also said they were not provided with life vests, and the boat was loaded to its maximum capacity. Two Guatapé residents told Blu Radio that about three months ago, the boat sunk while it was tied to a dock, with one saying "they fixed it and it kept working normally."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.