The death toll from the cruise boat tragedy at Bargi Dam in Jabalpur district, Madhya Pradesh, has reached 11 following the recovery of two young boys’ bodies on Saturday evening. Reports indicate that the vessel, which is operated by the state tourism department, capsized during a storm on Thursday evening, leading to one of the region’s most devastating boating disasters in recent memory. The deceased have been identified as six-year-old Viraj Soni and five-year-old Tamil.

According to Sub-Divisional Officer of Police Anjul Ayank Mishra, Tamil’s father, Kamraj, who is employed at the Ordnance Factory in Khamaria, and his nephew, five-year-old Mayuram, remain unaccounted for. While Viraj Soni’s identity has been preliminarily confirmed, further validation is pending family identification.

Extensive Search Operations Underway

Over 200 rescuers are engaged in the ongoing search operations, which include around 20 Army divers who were airlifted from Agra to assist. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, and local divers resumed their search efforts early Saturday morning. Although strong winds hampered these operations briefly around 9 am, the teams have continued their search.

The search perimeter has been expanded to five kilometres, with divers systematically working to locate those who are still missing in the deep waters of the dam. Efforts have intensified as search teams utilise additional equipment for deep-water recovery as the search continues for the remaining individuals.

Police officials have revealed that 41 passengers were onboard the ill-fated boat, with 28 successfully rescued. Although CCTV footage from the embarkation area showed 43 individuals moving towards the vessel, the identities of only 41 have been confirmed thus far.

Safety Concerns Raised by Survivors

In response to the tragic event, the state government has initiated an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident. Post-mortem examinations of nine bodies have reportedly been completed. Three crew members associated with the operation of the vessel have been dismissed, and similar boats across the state have been subjected to a ban as safety measures are scrutinised.

Authorities have announced that a First Information Report (FIR) will be registered as investigations progress. SDOP Anjul Ayank Mishra emphasised that the primary focus remains the search for the missing individuals, asserting that measures will continue to be intensified to locate them efficiently.

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