Rescue underway after Colombia tourist ferry carrying 150 people sinks

Survivors say the boat, called El Almirante, appeared to be overloaded

The El Almirante ferry sinking in a reservoir near Medellin, Colombia (Gente 305)

A rescue operation was underway in Colombia after a tourist boat with about 150 people on board sank in a reservoir near Medellin, killing at least nine people.

The air force said on Twitter that it was sending a helicopter to the Guatape reservoir while Medellin's mayor said firefighters and scuba divers were heading to the town on Sunday.

Videos circulating on social media show a multi-storey ferry sinking as a number of recreational boats rushed to the scene to pull people from the sinking vessel.

Eduardo Rivera, director of a hospital in Guatape, told Teleantioquia that three people killed in the accident had arrived at the medical facility.

Authorities did not immediately say how many people had been rescued or were missing.

Survivors told local media that the boat, called El Almirante, appeared to be overloaded and none of the passengers on board were wearing life vests.

The reservoir surrounding the soaring rocky outcrop of El Penol is a popular weekend destination a little more than an hour from Medellin. It was especially busy Sunday as Colombians celebrated a long holiday weekend.

Authorities did not immediately say how many people had been rescued or were missing.

Survivors told local media that the boat, called El Almirante, appeared to be overloaded and none of the passengers were wearing life vests.

The reservoir surrounding the soaring rocky outcrop of El Penol is a popular weekend destination a little more than an hour from Medellin.

It was especially busy on Sunday as Colombians celebrated a long holiday weekend.

AP