Colombia scouts die in mudslide

The search for two missing scouts continues

Eight scouts and one of their guides have been killed by a mudslide in central Colombia after their expedition was swept away.

The accident occurred on Saturday at the foot of Nevado del Ruiz volcano, 250km (150 miles) west of Bogota.

Survivors said the group was bathing in a canyon known as La Gruta when heavy rains upstream caused the Chinchina River to swell, sweeping the boys away.

The search for two missing boys is being hampered by bad weather.

Two children and another guide were rescued on Saturday.

The youths, ranging in age from 11 to 23, were on an expedition close to their home city of Manizales.

"We suddenly saw a huge flow of water that pushed some into rocks and others into the abyss," said Juan Manuel Varela, one of the survivors.

Luis Albeiro Ladino, whose son is still unaccounted for, told Caracol TV: "My son was very excited about the outing because he was going to earn a medal for hiking skills."

Medical examiners said they had not yet been able to identify any of the recovered bodies, all but one of which were severely disfigured.