Travel influencer, 24, killed after pickup truck is swept away in terrifying river crossing
French travel influencer Emma Marie Laurent, 24, was among three women killed when a pickup carrying travellers was swept away while crossing a river in Nicaragua. The deaths highlight the danger of attempting river crossings after heavy rain, when currents can become powerful even if the water appears manageable.
The group was travelling through El Manzano in Chinandega department and tried to cross the Nahualapa River at about 1am on 9 October. The driver, Mexican national Martin Gerardo García Girón, reportedly checked the water, which came close to his knees, before the current overturned the vehicle; he survived, while reports differed on whether other passengers escaped. Authorities were investigating, and Nicaragua’s co-President Rosario Murillo warned that rivers can change suddenly during the rainy season. Laurent had nearly 43,000 Instagram followers and shared travel videos, including a final post from Portugal on 2 October.
In short
- Three women died when a pickup was swept away in Nicaragua.
- Heavy rain had raised the Nahualapa River.
- Laurent had nearly 43,000 Instagram followers.
Explained simply
Nicaragua is a Central American country with a rainy season, when rivers can rise quickly and flow more strongly after heavy rain. A crossing that looks shallow may still have a current strong enough to overturn a vehicle.
The Nahualapa River is in Chinandega, a department in western Nicaragua. Travellers sometimes use vehicle crossings where bridges are absent or routes are difficult, but conditions can change rapidly; the driver’s assessment of the water may not reveal how strong the current is.
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