At least one soldier dead and five missing after trying to cross a river in Puno, Peru

MADRID, 6 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) -

At least one soldier has died and another five have disappeared after this Sunday they tried to cross a river in the Puno region with the aim of reinforcing military actions on the occasion of the demonstrations that have been taking place in Peru since December.

The Joint Command of the Armed Forces has explained that the patrol, among which there are five wounded who have been transferred to a hospital due to hypothermia, was intercepted by "radical demonstrators" who prevented them "abruptly and violently from passing, threatening military personnel with stones, huaracas and other blunt objects".

"Faced with this situation and in order to avoid confrontations with protesters who acted violently, threatening personnel and without providing any possibility of dialogue, the patrol decided to take an alternate route, which included crossing the Ilave river to avoid confrontation," it reads. a statement.

Thus, the Peruvian Army has indicated that, "due to the difficulties, the flow of the river and the attack", six members were swept away by the current.

Currently, the emergency services are carrying out search and rescue work, while the authorities are carrying out the investigations corresponding to the incident to determine the causes of the events.