The death toll rose to 11 in the Vrindavan boat accident on Saturday as one more body found near Deoraha Baba Ghat in the River Yamuna. Over 250 divers are searching for four people still missing in a 14-km stretch of the river on the second day of the operation.
Boat capsized in Vrindavan, 10 dead
A boat carrying about 37 people, all from Ludhiana district in Punjab, capsized in the midstream of the River Yamuna near Keshi Ghat, resulting in 10 deaths in Vrindavan on Friday afternoon. More than 22 people rescued.
The army joined the local police, NDRF, and SDRF teams in the search and rescue efforts. Meanwhile, police detained the boatman and owner, Pappu Nishad, around 9 pm on Friday, six hours after the accident. He had taken the devotees from Jugal Ghat and fled the scene.
Rescue operations starts
Officials said that rescuers had not yet been able to find the missing people due to the strong waves. They fear the bodies trapped under silt and sand.
The accident occurred just 2 km from the famous Banke Bihari temple. A witness said that the boat capsized in midstream, where the river is about 25 feet deep. The boat reportedly collided with a pontoon bridge that was under repair.
Among the deceased, two were immediate family members, while four others were their relatives, sources said. The initial investigation revealed that the boat had a capacity of 40 passengers, and the boatman did not provide life jackets to any of the devotees.
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