In a tragic incident, two people were killed and six others went missing after a boat carrying nine passengers from Ghatampur submerged in the Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh’s Hamirpur district. One was rescued safely, officials said on Thursday.
The incident took place at Kutupur Patia under the jurisdiction of Kurara police station, where the boat carrying nine people across the river submerged on Wednesday. Following the recovery of the body of Brajrani (a woman), the body of 14-year-old Archana has now been recovered.
Search operations for the missing persons are currently underway, officials said. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been carrying out continuous rescue operations since last night.
However, heavy rainfall has been hampering search efforts in the river. Four children, aged between 5 and 15 years, are still missing. Divers from the SDRF, NDRF, and Flood PAC are conducting intensive search operations in the area. The District Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police are continuously monitoring the relief and rescue operations.
District Magistrate Abhishek Goyal said that local villagers and police personnel rushed to the spot immediately after receiving information about the incident. “A boat carrying nine people from Ghatampur submerged in the Yamuna River. Three people were rescued immediately, while six remain missing.
Rescue teams, including SDRF, NDRF, and flood relief units, have been called in. SDRF teams have already reached the spot, while other teams are on the way. The rescue operation is ongoing,” Goyal said. He further informed that the passengers were returning from a routine trip that had been delayed.
“The surviving boatman said that the boat did not capsize but submerged on its own. Those who knew how to swim managed to escape, while the search continues for the six missing individuals. Rescue operations will continue throughout the night,” he added.
BJP MLA Manoj Prajapati said that five children and one woman were among the missing persons. “The administration is fully alert. Three SDRF teams have been deployed. The government will act as per rules, and the complete report will be shared with the Chief Minister,” Prajapati said.
DIG Banda Division Rajesh Yash said, “Nine people were on board the boat. Three managed to swim to safety, while six people, including one woman and five children aged between 5 and 15 years, remain missing. SDRF and flood relief teams, along with district administration and police officials, are present at the spot.”
In Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur district, a cruise boat capsized in the Bargi Dam waters on April 30, claiming 13 lives, while over 15 people lost their lives in another boat accident in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, in April.