Armed attackers rob tourists on a boat tour in the Amazon

Armed attackers rob tourists on a boat tour in the Amazon

Armed men have captured a tourist boat Amazonian rainforest hijacked in Peru, robbed all 14 people on board and forced them to withdraw their money through mobile apps, according to one victim.

The shocking experiences of a tourist

Spanish TikToker Elisabet de la Almudena, who has more than 235,000 followers on the platform, described her experience in one 4.5 minute video as the “worst day of her life.” According to her report, she was part of a group of 14 people, including her parents and 6-year-old daughter, who took a day-long boat tour from the city of Iquitos, a popular base for exploring the rainforest.

The Heist: A dramatic twist

“We had booked a family tour, a sightseeing tour – and ultimately ended up as kidnapped people,” she explained. Four men armed with pistols and a machine gun boarded the boat and drove deep into the forest, where they took all the passengers' belongings and even the boat's engine.

The forced withdrawal of money

“Through mobile apps, they asked us to withdraw money from our accounts and transfer it to one of their accounts, otherwise they would not release us,” de la Almudena added. “I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.” The passengers then took pieces of wood from the boat and rowed them along the river, where they met a family in another boat who helped them to safety.

Failures of the tourist company

De la Almudena claimed that the tour company Canopy Tours Iquitos had no GPS tracker installed on the boat, no insurance and no security measures in place, although she was later told that such incidents had occurred before in the area. “We have been completely let down by the people who are supposed to be responsible for our well-being,” she said.

Reaction from the tour company

Canopy Tours Iquitos responded to the incident, which occurred on May 14, calling it an unforeseen event that was beyond their control and “immediately reported to the authorities.” The company said: “We immediately activated our emergency protocols, offered our assistance to the affected group and are actively cooperating with the investigation.”

Safety measures and travel advice

The company also said it would strengthen security measures, including introducing GPS monitoring, closer cooperation with police and additional training for staff.

According to the U.S. State Department, travelers to Peru "should exercise increased caution due to crime, civil unrest and the risk of kidnapping. An increased risk exists in some areas." A travel advisory issued on May 16 reiterated: “Crime is widespread in Peru.”

"Thefts, carjackings, robberies, assaults and other violent crimes often occur even in daylight and in front of many witnesses. Kidnappings are rare, but do occur," it continued.

CNN has reached out to Canopy Tours Iquitos, the Peruvian National Police and the Spanish Embassy in Peru for comment.