Boat capsized with nearly 40 people: 3 dead, 11 missing
At around 1:30 pm, a mechanized country boat carrying 40 passengers and eighteen two-wheelers sank in the Brahmaputra. The boat capsized near Guwahati. 12 passengers swam to the safety of the shore. But the others which included mostly women and children went missing during that time.
Rescue operations had been initiated immediately. A 25 member team of the State Disaster Management Authority had been tasked with the operations.
Ten passengers have been rescued. Three people drowned and at least 11 others are missing. The boat’s destination was North Guwahati in Kamrup district. The boat’s engine developed a technical problem after leaving Fancy Bazar ferry ghat. The boat hit a rock near the bank of Ashwaklanta Temple. Then the boat capsized into mighty the Brahmaputra river.
The boat was overloaded. It was illegally carrying 18 motorcycles. Moreover, 22 passengers did not have valid tickets. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been continuously taking care of rescue operations.
The bodies of two victims were fished out from the river. This included the body of a girl student of Cotton State University. One girl student of the university died while she was being transported. to the hospital.
Ten passengers had managed to cling to the posts of a water supply project being constructed on the river. The SDRF and NDRF personnel were able to rescue them immediately.
According to the rescued passengers, there were more than 40 people on the boat. The rescue operations have been suspended for the night. That is because of the low visibility liability. The rescue operations shall resume in the morning.
A high-level enquiry has been instituted Sarbananda Sonowal, Assam’s chief minister. It will be headed the additional chief secretary, Jishnu Baruah.
The boat capsized due to the negligence of the authorities. May the missing people be found soon.
