A group of indigenous people in Peru are allegedly holding nearly 100 passengers on a boat hostage, according to multiple outlets.

CBS Newsreports the boat passengers' detainment, which began Thursday morning, is in response to the alleged lack of government aid regarding an oil spill in the Peruvian area of the Amazon River.

Among the hostages are 23 tourists from the United States, France, Switzerland, Spain and the U.K., who were traveling from Yurimaguas to Iquitos, according to the Associated Press.

Foreign and Peruvian tourists.ANGELA RAMIREZ/AFP via Getty

Foreign and Peruvian tourist wait in the boat where they have been detained at the Cuninico community in Loreto, north of Peru, on November 4, 2022. - Indigenous people in Peru’s Amazon detained a group of foreign and Peruvian tourists traveling on a river boat to protest the lack of government aid following an oil spill in the area, local media reported Thursday.

“The villagers are peaceful toward us, but they did take over the boat with spears and clubs,” Haldeman said. “No one had guns. We were parked near an island last night and the villagers took the battery from the boat motor. The captain and drivers are being held in a village jail. The village wants to keep the big boat for ransom. We might get some small rescue boats. There is new action every hour.”

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In a phone call with theAssociated Press, indigenous leader Wadson Trujillo confirmed the hostage situation involving Cuninico residents.

“We have seen ourselves obliged to take this measure to summon the attention of a state that has not paid attention to us for eight years,” Trujillo told the outlet.

Foreign and Peruvian tourist rest in the boat where they have been detained at the Cuninico community in Loreto, north of Peru, on November 4, 2022. - Indigenous people in Peru’s Amazon detained a group of foreign and Peruvian tourists traveling on a river boat to protest the lack of government aid following an oil spill in the area, local media reported Thursday.

According to the AP, Trujillo says an oil spill as recently as September has made their community sick.

“The people have had to drink water and eat fish contaminated with petroleum without any government being concerned,” he said.

“The children have those poisons in their blood. The people suffer from stomach problems — that is every day,” Trujillo said, per the AP.

According toBBC News, British passenger Charlotte Wiltshire said while no one has been harmed, “conditions are starting to deteriorate,” noting that there were pregnant, diabetic, sick, and elderly passengers on board.

“We are starting to run out of food and water. It’s very hot here, obviously.” She added, “We are starting to get quite desperate.”

According to the BBC, the indigenous community turned down a meeting with a Peruvian representative Friday.

source: people.com