SAO PAULO (AP) - It's unclear how a California couple and their two daughters escaped from pirates who attacked their boat in the Amazon River delta area.
Officials say the Harteaus were headed to Breves when gunmen boarded the boat they were on and forced it to go the city of Porto dos Dias. The crew and passengers were held hostage for several hours and stripped of their personal belongings before the pirates fled. There was no sign of the Harteaus when police arrived.
Friends and relatives think Adam and Emily Harteau and their 3- and 7-year-old daughters decided to flee the boat to get away from the pirates and have been walking in the jungle since.
Except for insect bites and scratches, the family is in good condition.
The Harteaus have been traveling the world since 2012, documenting their adventures on their "Our Open Road" blog and Instagram account.
The family's last Instagram post was from Oct. 27:
