Amazon River Robbery: 14 Spanish Tourists Held Hostage

Fourteen Spanish tourists were robbed and held hostage on a river tour in the Amazon region of Peru. The incident, which occurred on May 20th, 2025, involved armed individuals who stole the boat's motor and forced the tourists to transfer money from their bank accounts. Elisabeth de la Almudena, one of the victims, stated, "They robbed the motor of the boat we were on and kept us there for about an hour." The tour company, Canopy Tours Iquitos, denied responsibility, claiming the incident was a random event. Local tour guides, however, expressed concerns about the lack of security on Amazon river routes. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safety protocols for tourism in the region.