Six people have been confirmed dead in a boat crash in the Amazon rainforest in central-eastern Peru, a navy spokesman said Wednesday.

The number of fatalities could rise as passenger registries were being checked, the spokesman said. He did not give a number for the injured, who had been taken to local hospitals.

Earlier, authorities said there could be as many as 20 deaths in the accident.

Two boats, Super Salas and Milagritos, collided head-on on a river in Ucayali province Tuesday night. Unregistered and lacking proper authorization, Super Salas was carrying 70 passengers when it slammed into Milagritos, a cargo boat carrying fruit. A third boat sailing nearby rescued some passengers.

Peru's Coast Guard has launched an investigation into the accident.

Transportation in the Amazon rainforest, a sparsely populated area, is mainly conducted by small ships. They often exceed officially permitted limits on cargo and passengers, authorities said.

Source: Xinhua