Mathura (UP), Apr 10: A boat carrying tourists, primarily from Punjab, capsized in Yamuna in Vrindavan on Friday afternoon, leaving at least 10 people dead and several others missing, officials said.
The accident occurred near Kesi Ghat when the boat carrying over two dozen tourists moved into deeper waters and hit a floating pontoon, they said.
Authorities noted that a pontoon bridge had recently been dismantled in the area due to rising water levels, leaving some pontoon drums in the river, one of which the boat is believed to have collided with.
District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh reported six fatalities earlier and later rescuers recovered four more bodies, taking the toll to 10, district administration officials confirmed.
“Sixteen to 17 people have been rescued safely so far. Efforts are ongoing to locate the missing,” the DM said earlier, adding that all tourists onboard were from Punjab.
Medical authorities at the Vrindavan Joint Hospital said the deceased include six men and four women.
Rescue operations are underway with teams of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and around 50 local divers deployed at the site.
A local diver, identified as Gulab, said about 15 people have been pulled out so far, according to officials.
The tourists were part of a larger group of around 150 pilgrims from Ludhiana and Muktsar in Punjab who had come to Vrindavan.
Eyewitnesses told the media that the boat began to sway violently due to gusty winds, its speed increased and it collided with a pontoon bridge, causing it to overturn.
Officials, however, said that the boat collided with a floating pontoon left behind after the pontoon bridge was dismantled recently.
Police and local administration are jointly conducting the rescue operation, with divers searching the deeper sections of the river for missing persons. Senior officials, including the district magistrate and superintendent of police, visited the spot to monitor the situation. (PTI)
