9 dead, dozens missing after tourist boat sinks in Colombia

Catherine Garcia, The Week US's avatar
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last updated
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."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US
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.