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A
dozen crew members from both tankers, one of which contained
40,000 barrels of crude, were also kidnapped by the assailants,
according to a statement from Canada-based PetroTal.
PetroTal accused protesters affiliated with indigenous
association Aidecobap of blocking an Amazon tributary preventing
the passage of the two oil tankers, one of which was empty,
while attacking them from canoes with gasoline bombs.
Aidecobap representatives were not immediately available for
comment.
The attack occurred on Tuesday by an Amazon tributary in the
Loreto region in northwest Peru, PetroTal said, with the oil
originating from the country's most productive field.
The two vessels, one operating under a Brazilian flag, were
traveling along the Amazon to Brazil from PetroTal's field in
sparsely-populated Loreto, according to the company.
Carlos Maldonado, PetroTal's social management manager, told
local television that the protesters who boarded the tanker
loaded with oil forced it to a town known as 7 de Julio, where
it is currently being held.
Peru, which pumps about 43,000 barrels of crude daily, is one of
Latin America's smaller oil producers.
PetroTal has experienced past attacks from indigenous groups,
many of which demand more benefits from oil exploitation and
complain about oil spills contaminating the area.
The company said it gives 2.5% of profits from its local
production to nearby communities.
(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Editing by David Alire Garcia and
Grant McCool)
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