Four people died and eight others remained missing after a tourist cruise boat capsized in the Bargi dam reservoir on the Narmada river, 35 km from Jabalpur, in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday following a sudden storm and strong winds, officials aware of the matter said.
Police said more than 30 people, including crew, were on board when the boat overturned around 6 pm. While 22 people have been rescued so far, search was underway for the missing, they said.
Bargi city superintendent of police Anjul Mishra confirmed that four bodies were recovered.
“Survivors’ statements are being recorded to ascertain the cause of the capsize. Teams from the Special Disaster Emergency Response Force (SDERF) and police are searching for the missing,” he said.
Jabalpur district collector Raghvendra Singh said 29 tickets had been issued for the cruise.
“Along with staff members, 22 individuals have been safely rescued. Eight people are still missing. Search and rescue operations are continuing on a war footing,” he said, adding that the operation has become challenging due to darkness setting in.
Witnesses said strong winds made the water choppy, triggering panic among passengers.
{{/usCountry}}Witnesses said strong winds made the water choppy, triggering panic among passengers.
{{/usCountry}}One survivor, 14-year-old Jafar Ali, said, “The storm came suddenly. Before we could understand anything, the cruise started sinking. I jumped into the Narmada and swam back to the bank.”
Another survivor, Prateek Kumar (40), alleged lack of safety measures. “The staff started providing life jackets only when the cruise was sinking. Some locals saved me, my daughter and my father-in-law by throwing ropes,” he said, adding that his wife and mother-in-law are missing.
The overturned boat has since been secured, officials said.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed grief and announced an ex-gratia of ₹4 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased.
“The state government stands with the affected families with complete sensitivity,” he said in a post on X.
Tourism Corporation advisor Rajendra Nigam said the cruise, introduced in 2006 with a capacity of 60 passengers, had operated without incident for nearly two decades. “It was well maintained. A powerful gust struck without warning. The weather forecast had been checked beforehand. As soon as we received information, a rescue team was dispatched,” he said.