Overloaded boat capsizes, passengers swim to safety

Kendrapara: At least 32 people had a close shave as the boat carrying them capsized in river Luna near Gobardhanpur ghat under Mahakalapada block in Kendrapara district on Thursday.

All 32 passengers including six women managed to swim to safety, while the boatman, Kalpataru Rout, was arrested for carrying people illegally in an unsafe boat, said Tahasildar of Mahakalapada, Nila Madhab Bhoi.

The boatman was ferrying the people without adhering to required safety measures, officials said.

The boat was loaded well beyond its capacity and it sank 200 metres from the river ghat while going from Palasapur to Gobardhanpur. All passengers were forced to jump off from the sinking boat and all swam safety, Bhoi said.

After this incident the authorities filed an FIR against boatman Rout as he was carrying passengers illegally in an unsafe country boat and acting on the FIR, the police arrested him, said the Tahasildar.