A mother and her two children have drowned after their canoe capsised while they were checking a fishing net.

The fatal incident took place on the Manacapuru River, in the Nossa Senhora de Auxiliadora Community, in the municipality of Manacapuru, located in the north-western Brazilian state of Amazonas on Sunday 5th December.

The mum has been named as Adriana de Castro Cavalcante, 28, and her children have been named as Paulo Vitor de Castro Cavalcante, 6, and Adrielly de Castro Cavalcante, 3. All three were pulled from the water but were later pronounced dead.

The family had been checking a fishing net when the canoe they were in overturned and sank. The mother and her two children fell into the water, with the mum trying desperately to save the two young children but she was unable to do so.

Paulo Vitor, the young boy, was retrieved from the water by locals and taken to hospital in Manacapuru, but he was pronounced dead by medics on arrival. The mother and her daughter were also retrieved from the water by the local fire department.

They still had vital signs but doctors were unable to revive them upon arrival in hospital and they were also declared dead.

The bodies of the mother and her two children were taken to a funeral home in Manacapuru, where they were prepared and released to the family so that they may be buried.

The circumstances of the incident are being investigated by the Manacapuru Police Station.