Jabalpur/Bhopal, May 2
Nine people have died, and four others are still missing after a cruise boat capsized in Bargi Dam in Jabalpur during a sudden storm on Thursday evening. Rescue teams have intensified search operations while authorities have initiated action over alleged safety lapses.
A large rescue effort is underway, involving more than 200 personnel, including around 20 Army divers brought in from Agra, as well as teams from the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force. Officials said the search has been expanded across a wider area of the reservoir to trace the missing passengers.
Out of around 41 passengers identified on board, 28 were rescued while nine lost their lives. Among the victims was a woman found holding her child, a moment that rescuers described as deeply distressing.
Authorities are searching for four missing persons, including Kamraj, an employee of the Ordnance Factory in Khamaria, his 5-year-old son Tamil, Vijay Soni, aged 6, and Mayuram, aged 5.
“Our priority is to search for the missing persons. We will soon register an FIR,” an official said.
Officials said the boat capsized after strong winds made the water rough. Eyewitnesses reported that passengers had raised an alarm and urged the crew to move towards the riverbank, but the situation escalated quickly.
Survivors have alleged negligence, claiming that life jackets were not distributed in time and that warnings about worsening weather were not acted upon. One survivor described a last-minute rush for safety gear as panic spread among passengers.
Following the incident, the state government dismissed three crew members and initiated action against officials. A probe has been ordered to examine the circumstances surrounding the accident, and operations of similar boats have been suspended across Madhya Pradesh.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav visited the affected families and said those who assisted in rescue efforts would be honoured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and announced financial assistance of 2 lakh rupees for the families of the deceased and 50,000 rupees for the injured.
The incident has raised serious concerns about safety standards in tourist operations. As search efforts continue, authorities are expected to focus on fixing accountability and ensuring stricter safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
