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Recreational boat with 150 aboard sinks near Colombian city

Recreational boat with 150 aboard sinks near Colombian city
Posted at 2:31 PM, Jun 25, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-25 18:53:10-04

Authorities in Colombia say a rescue operation is underway after a recreational boat with about 150 people on board sank near Medellin.

The air force said on Twitter that it was sending a helicopter to the Guatape reservoir while Medellin's mayor said firefighters and scuba divers were heading to the town.

Videos circulating on social media show a multi-story ferry sinking as a number of other recreational vehicles rushed to the distressed boat.

Authorities did not immediately say how many people had been rescued or were missing.

Survivors told local media that the boat, called El Almirante, appeared to be overloaded and none of the passengers on board were wearing life vests.

The reservoir surrounding the soaring rocky outcrop of El Penol is a popular weekend destination a little more than an hour from Medellin. It was especially busy Sunday as Colombians celebrated a long holiday weekend.