Maharashtra boat accident toll rises to 19, eleven missing

The death toll in Saturday's accident in Maharashtra's eastern Bhandara district where two boats carrying women farm labourers overturned in the Wainganga river has risen to 19, while 11 women were still missing, police said.

The death toll in Saturday's accident in Maharashtra's eastern Bhandara district where two boats carrying women farm labourers overturned in the Wainganga river has risen to 19, while 11 women were still missing, police said on Sunday.

HT Image

The incident occurred near Khambari village, around 12 km from district headquarters Bhandara, which is 840 km east of Mumbai.

According to Superintendent of Police Suresh Sagar, who was supervising the rescue operations, there were 35 women in two boats, which were tied together, and crossing the river on Saturday evening, when the vessels capsized. The women were all farm labourers returning to their native villages after completing the day's work around 6 pm.

Four women and three boatmen managed to swim safely to the shore while local villagers had fished out 10 bodies till late on Saturday night.

"During the night-long rescue operations, we succeeded in recovering another nine bodies. We are continuing the search for the remaining 11 women who are still missing. Police and local villagers are conducting a search downstream to trace them," Sagar told IANS.

The state government has announced compensation of Rs 100,000 to the family members of each of the victims.

Bhandara is the home district of Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel.