The judiciary in Amazonas, Brazil, has issued a preventive arrest warrant for Pedro José da Silva Gomes, the pilot of the boat Lima de Abreu 15, which sank near the Encontro das Águas in Manaus on Friday, October 13. After the tragic incident, Gomes was briefly detained but was later released on a R$ 16,000 bail. However, following the issuance of the arrest warrant on Saturday, October 14, he failed to appear at the police station and is now considered a fugitive. The order for his arrest was motivated by concerns for public order and the enforcement of criminal law.

The sinking of the ship resulted in the heartbreaking deaths of three individuals: a three-year-old girl named Samyla de Souza, a 22-year-old student named Lara Bianca, and gospel singer Fernando Garcêz. In the immediate aftermath of the incident, seven people were reported missing, but this number has since been adjusted to five according to updates from the Amazonas Military Fire Corps (CBMAM). Emergency responders successfully rescued 71 individuals from the water on the day of the disaster, highlighting the scale of the rescue operation that followed the sinking.

This incident underscores the serious risks associated with navigation in the Amazon, where waterways can be unpredictable and accidents can have dire consequences. With Gomes now on the run, there is significant public interest in the outcome of the judicial proceedings as well as the ongoing efforts to locate the remaining missing persons. The situation raises broader questions about safety regulations and accountability in the water transport sector in Brazil, particularly in regions prone to such tragedies.