Vrindavan boat tragedy: Rescue operation continues as five still missing, vessel retrieved
Vrindavan boat tragedy: A boat that capsized in Vrindavan on the Yamuna River on Friday, leaving 10 tourists dead, 22 injured, and five missing, has been retrieved, with no bodies found trapped beneath it, a senior police officer said.
DIG (Agra range) Shailesh Kumar Pandey stated that teams had been working for four hours to remove the overturned boat, which had become stuck in a deep swampy area.
He added that there remains a possibility that some of the missing individuals may have drowned in the river, but the search operation will continue until all are accounted for. The boat was carrying tourists—mostly from Punjab—when it capsized on Friday afternoon.
“The condition of those injured in the mishap is reported to be stable. The post-mortem examination of the bodies is nearly complete. Arrangements are underway to transport the bodies of the deceased to their respective places,” the DIG said.
The accident occurred near Kesi Ghat after the boat drifted into deeper waters and collided with a floating pontoon, officials said. Authorities noted that a pontoon bridge in the area had recently been dismantled due to rising water levels, leaving behind pontoon drums in the river, one of which the boat is believed to have struck.
Earlier, District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh had confirmed six deaths, but four more bodies were later recovered, taking the toll to 10.
- With inputs from agencies
