| Saturday, January 20, 2007 |
| 65 missing as crowded boat capsizes in Krishna river |
In one worst boat disasters in India, at least 65 passengers were missing after their vessel capsized on the on the Krishna river in Andhra Pradesh.
Officials said on Friday that the accident occurred on the Krishna river, over 110 kilometres south-west of Hyderabad, capital of Andhra Pradesh, on Thursday as villagers were returning from a local fair held in connection with a religious festival.
The crowded country-boat, which was supposed to carry only 35 people, had in it over 80 passengers when it sank.
Survivors told the police that the villagers had forced the boatman to allow more passengers on board and had even assaulted him when he refused to carry more than the stipulated number of passengers.
According to officials, while 18 people were either rescued or swam to safety, the missing passengers are presumed drowned.
The boat began leaking when it was about 300 meters into the Krishna river, forcing the panic-stricken passengers to jump into the 12-metre-deep river.
After the local divers failed to trace any missing passenger, the Army was requisitioned for help. A military helicopter also joined the search.
Even as the divers of the Army scoured the Krishna river, only 10 bodies had been recovered from the site of the accident.Labels: Society |
| posted by a correspondent @ 9:41 PM |
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