A Peruvian navy vessel has collided with an oil platform within the Amazon River, killing at the very least two individuals and leaving one lacking.
The collision occurred within the early hours of Friday morning on the junction of the Napo and Amazon rivers, inflicting “extreme injury”, Peru’s defence ministry stated.
Thirty crew members had been rescued from the vessel, with specialised diving groups and helicopters deployed as a part of the search operation, the assertion added.
It isn’t clear if the platform, owned by Anglo-French firm Perenco, was broken or whether or not oil has leaked into the river. The Peruvian defence ministry stated it was investigating the reason for collision.
“Peru’s Navy deeply regrets the irreparable lack of our crew members,” the defence ministry stated, including that it might present help to their family members.
The ministry stated the vessel, known as Ucayali, hit the platform whereas it was navigating close to the mouth of the Napo River in northern Peru. BBC Information has approached Perenco for remark.
There are tons of of gasoline and oil blocks in areas of Peru, Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador lined by the Amazon rainforest. Spills within the area have had a devastating impression on indigenous communities and native wildlife.
In 2022, the Peruvian authorities stated nearly 12,000 barrels of oil had leaked into the ocean after a tanker was hit by waves linked to a volcanic eruption on Tonga.
