A tragic boating accident occurred in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district on April 30 after a tourist cruise capsized in the Narmada backwaters near Khamariya Island at Bargi Dam. A video recorded shortly before the incident shows passengers enjoying the outing as weather conditions suddenly deteriorated, with strong winds sweeping across the area. Initially, no one was wearing life jackets, but many put them on later, an action that helped save around 25 lives.
The cruise was reportedly carrying around 30 to 40 passengers at the time of the incident. According to officials, the vessel overturned rapidly due to the sudden change in weather, leaving several passengers struggling in the water. However, the exact cause of the accident remains unclear, and authorities are investigating whether overloading or a technical failure may have led to the tragedy.
A survivor said, "...My son and wife are missing. I got hurt when the mirror on the cruise boat broke after hitting a wave. The staff did not provide us with life jackets; we arranged them and distributed them ourselves..."
In a viral video, a woman spoke to the media and said, "No life jackets were given to anyone initially. When the water started coming in, the cruise staff began distributing the jackets. People started snatching jackets from each other, and that's when the cruise ship capsized. The cruise staff didn't even think that those from whom they earn their living, at least they should keep them safe." The woman, who lost her family members, became emotional while recounting the incident.
The scale of the incident triggered a massive multi-agency rescue operation, which continued overnight into Friday morning. So far, 24 passengers have been rescued, while efforts are underway to trace nine individuals who are still missing. Authorities confirmed that five of the missing are children.
Officials have confirmed nine fatalities so far. Among the deceased are Neetu Soni from Jabalpur, Saubhagyum Alagan from Tamil Nadu, Kakalazhi from Jabalpur, Madhur Massey from New Delhi, Reshma Syed, and Shamim Naqvi. Of the 24 rescued, seven have returned home, while the others are undergoing treatment at various hospitals.
The cruise boat is currently submerged at a depth of nearly 20 feet, making recovery operations extremely challenging. Heavy machinery such as cranes, hydraulic cutters, and excavators has been deployed to locate and lift the vessel.
Tourist cruise capsizes in Bargi Dam; 24 rescued, search operation underway.
