Sonia expresses grief over Thekkady boat tragedy

Congress president Sonia Gandhi today expressed grief and concern over the "terrible boat tragedy" in Kerala's Thekkady wildlife sanctuary that claimed 37 lives.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday expressed grief and concern over the "terrible boat tragedy" in Kerala's Thekkady wildlife sanctuary that claimed 37 lives.

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"I am deeply distressed to learn of the terrible boat tragedy at the Thekkady wildlife sanctuary that claimed so many innocent lives," Gandhi said in a message issued in New Delhi.

Expressing sympathy with the families who lost their loved ones, she said authorities should "take appropriate steps to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again".

The tragedy occurred Wednesday at 5.15 pm when the boat carrying 76 tourists capsized in a lake in the Periyar wildlife sanctuary in central Kerala's Thekkady region.

A 24-member diving team of the Indian Navy reached the accident site on Thursday morning and were searching for more bodies.

The toll in the Thekkady boat tragedy touched 37 with five more bodies being recovered Thursday morning, officials said.