By Shakir Husain
HYDERABAD, India: Nine bodies were recovered after a tourist excursion boat sank in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.
The boat carrying more than 40 people capsized in bad weather on Thursday in the Narmada River at the Bargi Dam, situated about 35 kilometres from Jabalpur city and more than 350 kilometres from the state capital, Bhopal.
Survivors raised questions about lapses in safety rules and a commotion was reported over life jackets.
“Four bodies were recovered on Thursday, while five were found during the rescue operations in the early hours, taking the toll to nine,” Madhya Pradesh’s Tourism Minister, Dharmendra Bhav Singh Lodhi, said, as reported bu PTI news agency on Friday (May 1).
Twenty-eight people were rescued while six were still reported missing.
Many on board had asked the crew to return the vessel to shore due to strong winds, but their pleas were ignored, eyewitnesses told local media. – BERNAMA
