A US family of four that went missing after an assault by river pirates were found on Wednesday, police in Brazil's Para state announced. They have been brought to the nearby town of Breves for medical examinations, the Wall Street Journal reported.

California couple Adam Heart and Faith Heart had vanished after the attack on Sunday, along with their two daughters, aged 3 and 7. A spokesman for the family said he had spoken to the US Embassy in Brasilia on Wednesday and was told the family was found in relatively good health after several days lost in the jungle.

The Para Public Safety Department said that the family was part of a larger group of passengers on a boat in the Amazon River delta. A group of pirates forced the vessel to dock on an island, locked the passengers on board the ship and then fled with their belongings.

When police arrived at the scene, the family was nowhere to be found. Police launched an extensive search for the four as helicopters scouted the rain forest.

The Hearts had reportedly relocated to the southern Brazilian city of Florianopolis, and had a blog dedicated to their travels around South America.

In September, a British tourist was killed in the Amazon region when her canoe was attacked by river pirates.

es/gsw (AP, dpa)