2 dead, 7 missing in boat sinking in Brazil's Amazon

RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- At least two people died and seven are missing after a fast boat sank near Manaus, the capital of Brazil's Amazonas state Friday night, local authorities reported on Saturday.

The vessel, traveling from Manaus to Nova Olinda do Norte, sank in the confluence area of the Negro and Solimoes rivers. Seventy-one people were rescued by a passing boat and taken to Manaus for medical and social assistance.

The fatalities were a 22-year-old woman and a girl believed to be about three years old. Four survivors were hospitalized, two of whom remain in stable condition, while two others have been discharged.

The boat's operator was detained, and an investigation has been launched into the cause of the accident. Search and rescue operations involving divers and multiple agencies are ongoing. ■