Magdalena River, Colombia—Three people were confirmed dead Wednesday after their boat capsized in the middle of the river. The vessel had been carrying a small group when it encountered strong currents and unstable water conditions. Local fishermen were the first to report the incident to the port authorities.

Naval rescue units arrived on the scene to coordinate the recovery effort. The swift current of the Magdalena complicated the search for the missing passengers. Divers spent the day scouring the riverbed near the site of the accident.

Authorities recovered the three bodies by late afternoon as the search operation concluded. The cause of the capsizing remains under investigation by the maritime office. Early reports indicate the vessel may have been overloaded for the current river conditions.

This region of the river is known for dangerous whirlpools during the rainy season. Many local residents rely on these boats for daily transport between riverbank towns. Safety regulations for small passenger vessels remain a point of contention between local operators and inspectors.

The survivors were taken to a medical station in the nearest village for treatment. None of the rescued passengers were reportedly wearing life vests at the time of the incident. This omission has drawn sharp criticism from maritime safety officials.

The site of the accident has been marked to prevent other vessels from approaching the wreckage. Port authorities have temporarily suspended transit in that section of the river. The wreckage is scheduled to be pulled from the water tomorrow morning.

Legal teams are investigating whether the boat operator held the proper permits for passenger transport. The families of the deceased have been notified, though authorities have not yet released the names. The investigation continues into the night as the river remains under high-alert conditions.