Boat in Colombia sinks with 150 tourists

A boat carrying roughly 150 tourists has reportedly sank in a reservoir in northwestern Colombia, according to the nation's air force.

A major rescue operation is now under way.
A statement from the Colombian air force said that a helicopter was on the way to the Penol reservoir near the town of Guatape, which is approximately 45km east of Colombia's second largest city of Medellin.

The mayor of Medellin has said that firefighters and scuba divers from the city are now travelling to the Penol reservoir.

It is not yet clear whether there have been any casualties or where the tourists were from, but videos on social media suggest that a recreational ferry has sunk in the reservoir.

Images on social show smaller boats rushing towards the sinking ferry.

Local media has reported interviews with survivors who claimed that the boat, named El Almirante (The Admiral), appeared to be overloaded and that the passengers were not wearing life jackets.