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Colombian navy divers are searching for 10 people who disappeared on Tuesday after their boats capsized in the Orinoco river, which divides Colombia from Venezuela.

A total of 18 people were on board the boats, eight of whom were rescued.

Witnesses said one of the boats had a mechanical problem and was being towed by the other one when they hit a rock about 30m (100ft) from the shore.

The accident happened 10km (6.2 miles) downstream from Puerto Carreño.

A local government official, Diego Zárate, said of the eight people rescued two were Colombians and six Venezuelans.

Among the missing are thought to be a number of children.

Witnesses said the boat with mechanical problems was transporting watermelons while the one that came to its rescue was carrying passengers.

But a Colombian navy official said he did not know what the two vessels were doing navigating the fast-flowing river in the early hours of Tuesday when it was still dark.

A search of the riverbanks has so far yielded no result.