A Macuco Safari tour boat capsized on Tuesday during a trip on the Brazilian side of Iguazú Falls, killing one person and injuring at least two others. The accident occurred at about 12:20 p.m. when the vessel, carrying six Dutch tourists and a driver, overturned for reasons that remain under investigation.
According to Brazilian authorities, one person died at the scene. Two others were taken to Padre Germano Lauck Municipal Hospital in Foz do Iguaçu, where they arrived conscious and in stable condition. The remaining occupants received medical attention at the scene. Initial reports from some outlets, including La Nación, said one person was missing, but that information was not confirmed by other authorities or rescue teams, which focused on the survivors and the fatality.
Firefighters and staff from Macuco Safari and Iguaçu National Park carried out the rescue operation. The accident occurred in a section known as Puenteón da Grande Aventura while the boat was conducting a private tour for guests of a hotel inside the park.
At the time of the accident, the Iguaçu River was flowing at about 4,350 cubic meters per second. The volume was considered operationally safe, although it was nearly three times the historical average of 1,500 m³/s after heavy rain in the region. The park administration has not yet issued an official statement on the cause of the accident.
This was the most serious accident involving Macuco Safari since September 1999, when a collision between two boats killed seven people. Tours in the area were temporarily suspended while the investigation continued.