World · Latin America · 19 hrs ago
Three women die after pickup is swept away in Nicaragua river
Three women died after a pickup was swept away while trying to cross the Nahualapa River in El Viejo, western Nicaragua, on October 9.
The victims were French influencer Emma Marie Laurent, 24, Swiss national Noë Lina Luscher, 20, and Nicaraguan Karen Nahomi López Montano, 19; the Mexican driver survived.
The crossing was attempted at about 1 a.m., after heavy rain had swollen the river.
The women could not escape from the vehicle, and the river’s strong current carried it away.
Rivers that seem calm can become dangerous during the rainy season, when sudden floods can sweep vehicles away.
Authorities are investigating what happened, and officials have urged people to check weather alerts and avoid crossing flooded rivers.
Three women died after a pickup was swept away while attempting to cross a swollen river in Nicaragua.
The victims were French influencer Emma Marie Laurent, 24, Swiss national Noë Lina Luscher, 20, and Nicaraguan Karen Nahomi López Montano, 19.
The accident happened around 1 a.m. on October 9 near El Manzano, in the municipality of El Viejo.
Heavy rain had raised the river’s flow, and the women were unable to escape from the pickup.
The Mexican driver, Martín Gerardo García Girón, survived.
- Who
- The victims were Emma Marie Laurent, Noë Lina Luscher and Karen Nahomi López Montano. The Mexican driver, Martín Gerardo García Girón, survived.
- What
- A pickup carrying the three women was swept away while crossing a river, and all three drowned.
- When
- Around 1 a.m. on October 9, 2026.
- Where
- Near El Manzano, in the municipality of El Viejo, Nicaragua.
- Why
- Heavy rain had swollen the river and strengthened its current as the pickup attempted to cross.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The pickup was swept away while attempting to cross the rain-swollen Nahualapa River near El Manzano.
Nicaraguan co-president Rosario Murillo expressed condolences and urged people to heed safety advice during the rainy season.
- Victims
- Emma Marie Laurent, 24; Noë Lina Luscher, 20; Karen Nahomi López Montano, 19
- Location
- Near El Manzano, municipality of El Viejo, Nicaragua
- River
- Nahualapa River
- Vehicle
- Toyota pickup
- Survivor
- Mexican driver Martín Gerardo García Girón
3 sources
Emma Marie Laurent, 24 ans, meurt au Nicaragua : cette tentative fatale de traversée de rivière à bord d'un pick-up
Leur pick-up a été emporté par le courant : une influenceuse française de 24 ans et deux jeunes femmes meurent noyées dans leur véhicule
Tragique accident. Mort de l'influenceuse française Emma Marie Laurent à 24 ans : ce que l'on sait
What people are saying
Car les rivières sont trompeuses : on pense qu’elles sont calmes et, soudain, le courant arrive, provoquant des tragédies comme celle-ci, qui plongent les familles dans le deuil
Nous souhaitons exprimer notre solidarité avec les familles d'Emma Marie Laurent, originaire de France, de Noë Lina Luscher, originaire de Suisse, et de Karen Nahomi López