Brits taken hostage by a tribe in Peru’s Amazon rainforest have been released, it has been confirmed.
The trio of UK citizens were among dozens tourists captured by indigenous people on November 3 from Cuninico in the Loreto province who are said to have been attempting to gain attention after 40 recent oil spills.
After negotiations lasting several hours they - as well as nationals from Peru, USA, Spain, France, and Switzerland - have been freed.
It is unclear how many tourists were taken hostage as estimates varied, but it was said to include pregnant women, a one-month-old baby and elderly people.
Tribe members had earlier suggested they would be held for around a week until a solution was found after the spill of 2,500 tons of crude oil, which is said to have killed three people.
However, after just over a day, Watson Trujillo, the leader of the Cuninico community, said they would be released.
He told RPP Noticias: "The right and respect for life must prevail, in this context, we are going to provide the facilities so that the people who are on the boat can move to their destinations."
He stressed that they had taken such measures because of the president's "neglect".
Mr Trujillo added: "This measure, which is being taken for the second time, is due to the constant oil spills that have been taking place in the native communities. […] We have gone to the boat to inform [the tourists] why this is being done: because of the president's neglect."
One Brit who was taken hostage told The Mirror about the “grim" situation on board.
Charlotte Wiltshire, 54, said: “When you have got 120 people squashed into a very small amount of space you're getting tense because everybody's just getting fed up with the situation.”
Ms Wiltshire from Cardigan, Wales said they were given 40 litres of water on Friday morning, “but that's 40 litres between 120 people, so it won’t last very long either".
Mr Trujillo said his group had taken the "radical measure" in an effort to put pressure on the government to send a delegation to assess the environmental damage.
Indigenous communities had already been blocking the transit of all vessels on the river in protest against the spill, which was caused by a rupture in the Norperuano oil pipeline.
The group had earlier put out a statement which read: “Our very punctual request is that the government declares a state of emergency due to the constant oil spills in our territory, and a committee presided by the president is then commissioned.
“We demand the government talks to the Cuninico community or face consequences - the ultimate responsibility lies with the President of the Republic [Pedro del Castillo]."
A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office earlier said: “We are in contact with the local authorities and a very small number of British nationals involved in an incident in Peru.”
The Ombudsman's Office of Peru tweeted today: "After dialogue with the APU of the Cuninico communities, our request was accepted to release people who remained in boats held in protest against contamination after #DerrameDePetróleo in the Marañón River. The measure will be executed shortly.
"However, we insist that the dialogue must continue in accordance with the agreements of the meeting on October 17 in Nauta, so we call on the Executive and the communities to overcome differences and return to the work table."
