Dutch tourist dies after boat capsizes at Brazil's Iguazu Falls
by Mar Puig · UPIJuly 29 (UPI) -- A Dutch tourist died after a sightseeing boat capsized during a Macuco Safari excursion on the Iguazu River inside Brazil's Iguazu National Park, prompting authorities to suspend the attraction's operations and begin an investigation.
The Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation, or ICMBio, the federal agency that manages Brazil's protected areas, said eight people were aboard the vessel Tuesday-- six Dutch tourists and two crew members, the pilot and co-pilot. The agency said rescue teams responded immediately.
According to G1, citing the Paraná Fire Department, the victim drowned and suffered cardiac arrest after the boat overturned. He was rescued and taken to Padre Germano Lauck Municipal Hospital in Foz do Iguaçu, where doctors confirmed his death.
The six tourists were members of the same family, arriving in Foz do Iguaçu one day before the accident and planning to remain in the city through Thursday. Three survivors did not require medical treatment, while two others were hospitalized in stable condition. The pilot and co-pilot also received medical care and were discharged.
In a statement, ICMBio said it verified that the operating documentation for Ilha do Sol, the concessionaire responsible for the Macuco Safari attraction, was in order. The agency said it is cooperating with the authorities investigating the circumstances of the accident.
ICMBio also announced that Macuco Safari operations will remain suspended for three days beginning Wednesday to allow the investigation to proceed.
Authorities have not determined what caused the boat to capsize. According to Ámbito, investigators are examining several factors, including river conditions, the vessel's mechanical condition and the maneuvers performed during the excursion.
The accident followed several days of heavy rainfall across the Brazil-Argentina border region. Hours before the boat capsized, a tornado struck municipalities in northwestern Rio Grande do Sul state, near the Argentine province of Misiones, injuring at least three people and causing significant damage, according to La Gaceta.
Meanwhile, Argentina's National Meteorological Service had issued yellow and orange storm alerts for Misiones province. Local media also reported that the Iguazu River's flow had reached nearly 2.64 million gallons per second, compared with its normal flow of about 396,000 gallons per second.
Authorities, however, have not determined whether those conditions played any role in the accident.