An attempted river crossing turned tragic in northwestern Nicaragua. Three young women aged 19 to 24 drowned on the night of Thursday to Friday after their vehicle was swept away by a powerful current.
Among the victims is a 20-year-old Swiss national, as well as a 24-year-old French woman and a 19-year-old Nicaraguan woman, reports local television channel VOS TV. The accident occurred on Friday, October 9, around 1 a.m., near the town of El Viejo, in the department of Chinandega.
The driver survived
The three women were in a Toyota pickup driven by a Mexican national. As heavy rains fell on the region, he attempted to cross the Chanchamayo River.
But the power of the current carried the vehicle away, leaving the passengers no time to seek shelter. The driver managed to escape, in circumstances which remain to be clarified.
The Vice President of Nicaragua, Rosario Murillo, offered her condolences to the families of the victims. She also called on the population to exercise caution and respect weather warnings, particularly during the rainy season.
