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Video shows giant rock smashing onto boats in Brazil killing 6 people, 20 missing

In a video, boaters can be heard screaming as a large slab of rock from a scenic canyon falls onto boats that were cruising the lake near Capitolio

In a terrifying incident, a giant rock from a southern Brazil canyon dislodged and smashed into three boats, killing at least six people and leaving nine injured on Saturday, January 8. Videos of the incident have been captured on camera. In the short clips, boaters can be heard screaming as a large slab of rock from a scenic canyon falls onto boats that were cruising the lake near Capitolio in Minas Gerais state.

The falling rock hit two boats directly. However, authorities successfully rescued as many as 24 people from those vehicles. While six people were killed and several injured, 20 people are believed to be missing. One of the injured people is reportedly in critical condition, having suffered head and facial injuries. Several others have broken bones. 

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A guide who has been working in the tourist area for the last six years, Rovilson Teixeira, said he was horrified and stunned at the sight of the collapsing rock. “We are completely shocked, and nobody really knows how many victims are involved,” he told Brazilian reporters. “There is not just one, not just two but probably many deaths. There are a lot of people with injuries. The region is full of ambulances that have come from other parts of the state to help the victims. No one is sure about the size of this tragedy.” A spokesman for the Brazilian Navy has confirmed that an investigation in being opened into the accident.

According to the governor of Minas Gerais, the accident was possibly caused due to heavy rains in the area. Just hours before the tragic incident, authorities had reportedly issued warnings for tourists to stay away from waterfalls in the area. “We are suffering the pain of a tragedy in our state due to heavy rains that provoked the accident in the Furnas lake. Rescue workers are still on the scene, ” said Minas Gerais governor Romeu Zema. “We are in solidarity with the families at this difficult moment.”

“We have to comfort the families who are waiting for bodies to show up,” said Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro. “This is something we can do with the Navy and the Fire Department in Minas Gerais.” Bolsonaro shared a series of tweets, sharing videos of rescue operations. In a statement, he wrote in Portuguese that the Navy is working along the Minas Gerais Fire Department and other official and voluntary bodies to carry out a rescue operation. He also shared a video of the operation.