Four people are dead and three are missing after members of a group of outdoor enthusiasts in San Andrés Tuxtla were dragged away Sunday evening by strong currents during a flash flood in the Oro River Canyon.

According to authorities, the levels of the Oro River, where the group of 21 was camping and engaging in outdoor adventure activities, had risen due to heavy rains, overwhelming members of the group and sweeping them away.

As of Monday afternoon, rescuers had recovered the bodies of four people and were searching for three more, Civil Protection authorities said. They found five group members alive but injured around midnight on Sunday and took them to a hospital in Catemaco.

While authorities continued searching for the other three until dawn, darkness and the heavy rains interfered.

The victims, from various municipalities of Veracruz as well as from Mexico City, were participating in an excursion with the Tribu Wounaan Tourism and Adventure Sports Company, which had scheduled activities such as camping, rappelling from heights of up to 24 meters, rock climbing, and waterfall jumping in the Oro River Canyon.

According to the company’s social media page, it had scheduled the tour to celebrate its recent win for best tourism product from “Mi Veracruz,” the state tourism and culture ministry’s annual awards for Veracruz tourism industry businesses. Tribu Wounaan organizers chose the Oro River Canyon because it was the site of their award-winning tourism product.

Source: Milenio (sp)