Two Killed, One Missing as Peruvian Navy Vessel Hits Barge on Amazon River
The Peruvian Navy is expressing condolences and promising a full investigation after one of its vessels operating a humanitarian mission on the Amazon River collided with another vessel. Two sailors from the naval vessel were killed and a third, reported to be the unit commander, is missing.
According to the reports, the vessel BAP Ucayali was navigating along the Amazon near the confluence with the Napo, a tributary, when it hit the anchored oil platform or barge Manati owned by Perenco. The barge is licensed to provide fuel in the region.
The collision happened at around 0300 local time on May 2 with the Peruvian Navy reporting its vessel experienced severe damage. Reports said a large search and rescue operation was launched, but it is a difficult region to access. Thirty sailors were successfully rescued from the vessel. The Navy later identified the two individuals who were killed as Third Class Mate Gonzalo Apaza Huanca and Third Class Mate Jose Antonio Francisco Morales. The search was ongoing for the vessel’s captain and unit commander First Lieutenant Juan Miguel Davila Arevalo.
El buque BAP Ucayali se hundió tras chocar con una plataforma de la empresa Perenco en la región Loreto, dejando dos tripulantes muertos y uno desaparecido. Treinta personas fueron rescatadas, y la Marina inició una investigación para esclarecer el hecho. #diariolarazon pic.twitter.com/ozuuePXRl7
— Diario La Razón (@larazon_pe) May 2, 2025
The vessel had started its mission on Thursday, May 1, and was operating in coordination with the Colombian Navy to reach remote areas of the Amazon. The two countries routinely work together to support the region and reports celebrated the launch of the operation reporting it was the 16th in to the region.
The Colombia-Peru Binational Campaign is a humanitarian mission that the Colombian Navy reported would travel more than 2,700 km along the Amazon and Putumayo rivers for 48 days, bringing health, well-being, and hope to more than 40 border communities. They reported the vessels were loaded with 60 tons of humanitarian aid to provide medical, educational, recreational, and social services.
Officials declined to discuss the circumstances that led up to the collision. Unconfirmed media reports are citing witnesses who said the barge was anchored in the river. The story said there were torrential rains and apparently the ship’s radar failed to detect the barge. Peru’s Agencia de Noticias Andina is reporting that the naval vessel hit the thick anchor chains of the barge and ended up beneath the ship.
(Marina de Guerra del Perú)
The Ucayali is reported to have been built in 1951 as a river gunboat. It is now mostly used for patrols and to provide humanitarian services on the river.
Ucayali in a picture from Colombia during the May 1 send-off for the humanitarian mission (Amazon Naval Force - Colombia)
Colombia during the send-off for the 16th Amazon mission (Amazon Naval Force - Colombia)