Boat carrying around 40 passengers stranded in Chilika Lake due to mechanical failure

A passenger ferry travelling across Chilika Lake was stranded for over an hour on Sunday due to a mechanical failure. The incident occurred while the ferry was en route from Janhikuda to Satapada in Puri district, a common route across Odisha’s largest brackish water lake.

Also Read: Over 100 stranded amid rough weather in Odisha's Chilika Lake

The boat came to a halt near Mahisa Kuda, leaving around 40 passengers and 15 vehicles stranded in the middle of the lake. Passengers reported distress as the ferry remained immobile with no immediate rescue response visible for quite some time.

Eyewitnesses said that the engine suddenly stopped, and despite several attempts by the crew to restart it, the vessel remained stalled. Authorities are yet to release an official statement, but sources indicate that technical issues in the engine system led to the ferry breakdown.

No casualties or injuries were reported, and a rescue team was dispatched later to bring the passengers and the vehicles safely to shore. The incident has sparked concerns over the maintenance and safety standards of ferry services across Chilika.

After the rain stopped, another boat reached the stranded boat at Janhikuda. After fixing the mechanical issue, the first boat reached the shore. All the passengers stranded in Chilika Lake were safely rescued.

Worth mentioning, earlier in another incident, boat services across Chilika Lake came to a complete halt, as strong winds lashed the region, making water transport unsafe on October 2 this year. The popular Janhikuda-Satapada route, which spans around five kilometres, remained suspended for the entire day due to rough weather.

Reported By: Nilakantha Pradhan