In the statement issued late Sunday, Buhari acknowledged that rescue agencies had officially reported the death toll of the tragedy on October 7, reports Xinhua news agency.
The passenger boat carrying 85 people capsized in the state's Ogbaru area, following rising floods in that area, according to the statement.
An investigation had been launched to determine "other causes of the incident" besides floods, Thickman Tanimu, an official from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) was quoted as saying by local media.
Following the tragedy, Nigeria's National Inland Waterways Authority and the NEMA have embarked on rescue and recovery missions in Anambra.
The President has also ordered a review of safety measures across the country's water transport system and said emergency services must do everything to account for those missing.
Buhari called on government agencies "to check the safety protocols on these transport ferries to make sure such incidents are avoided in the future".
Manash Kumar Saikia, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Dhubri told IANS that the accident happened at an under-construction Dhubri-Fulbari bridge on Brahmaputra river.
He informed that the boat hit a pillar of the under-construction bridge and capsized. Following the incident, at least five people could swim across the river and reach the shore. But, several others are still missing.
"There were reports of some 50 people on board the boat. But, we are still not sure about the exact number," he added.
It is learned that Dhubri Circle Officer Sanju Das, along with a land record official and an office staff were also on the boat to survey an erosion-hit area. All of them are missing after the accident.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was deployed to rescue the people. According to a police source, around 15 people have been rescued so far.
The locals claimed that many school children were also on the boat. It carried around 10 motorbikes as well.
The place of the incident known as Adabari is 3km from Dhubri town.
Notably, the Dhubri-Phulbari Bridge is a proposed bridge over the Brahmaputra river between Assam and Meghalaya.
The bridge, to be completed by 2026-27, would be India's longest bridge over water, spanning more than 19 km. This bridge, close to the Bangladesh border, will connect Assam's Dhubri with Meghalaya's Phulbari area.
The incident took place at Awlia ghat of Mareya bazar area of Boda upazila at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.
The toll is feared to rise further as at least 30 others went missing after the accident in the Madeya Ghat area on Sunday, police told IANS on Sunday evening.
The victims include 12 women, eight children and four men.
The deceased victims have been identified as one-year-old children Ushoshi, Tanushree and Shreyashi, 14-year-old Poly Rani , Lakshmi Rani (25), Amal Chandra (35), Shobha Rani (27), Dipankar (3), Priyanth (3), Khuki Rani (35), Pramila Rani (55), Tara Rani (24), Shoneka Rani (60), Falguni Rani (55), Pramila Rani (70), Dhano Bala (47), Sumitra Rani (57), Sophlat Rani (40), Shimla Rani (35) Hasan Ali, ( 52).
Among the 24 deceased victims, eight died after being taken to the hospital while the bodies of 16 were recovered from the river.
Md. Soleman Ali, Boda Upazila Nirbahi Officer, told IANS that an engine-run boat with nearly 70-80 passengers onboard started sailing for the Badeswari temple at Boroshashi union from Awlia ghat of Mareya bazar area of the district.
While the identities of the deceased persons are yet to be ascertained, the reason leading to the mishap is still not clear.
As per reports, as many as 13 tourists from Puri town area had gone to Kalijaikuda, an islet located 3 km from Gambharigaon, for a picnic. While returning in the evening, the mishap occurred at Kalijaikuda.
Local people immediately launched a rescue operation and rescued 10 people. Initially, it was reported that three people were missing. However, one of them, who was later identified as Ugrasen Das of Gambharigaon village, managed to swim to safety. He was spotted at Ferakuda islet and rescued.
Initially, the rescue operation for the missing two was launched by local people. Later fire personnel joined them. Finally, the fire personnel fished out the bodies of the missing persons.
At the time of filing this report, the reason behind the mishap was still not clear as the rescued persons couldn’t be contacted for their reactions.
(This is a developing story.)
The ship was hit by huge waves while sailing in the waters between Kalimantan island and Sulawesi island on Monday but the accident was found out by a passenger ship which helped the victims on Friday, senior press official at South Kalimantan's search and rescue office Dendy Prasetyo was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.
"Today (Saturday) we carried out a search and rescue operation to look for the 11 missing persons," he told the news agency over phone.
Four people survived the accident, as they used a lifeboat and were helped by a ferry, said Prasetyo.
The cargo ship loaded with cement departed from a seaport in South Kalimantan province and was heading to a seaport in South Sulawesi province, according to the official.
The boat is said to have lost its balance near Chadheiguha hill due to gale and severe rain caused by norwester.
The missing person is said to be a local shop keeper who was running a shop at Kalijai.
All the 10 tourists rescued from the lake were rushed to the nearest Balugaon hospital for treatment.
As per reports, a police team which was in the vicinity, saw the boat sinking and rescued the passengers. However, one person could not be traced as he went missing in the waters of Chilika.
Speaking to reporters, Balugaon SDPO, Manas Ranjan Barik said, "We were at Barkul Panthanivas for some work when we received information about the boat mishap. We rushed to the spot and rescued 10 tourists."
The rescue operation took just more than 30 minutes because of strong wind and rains. However, we succeeded in rescuing 10 persons. One person is still missing. Our teams are on it and we will find him soon," said Barik.
As per reports, three persons were returning to their village from Narangijala haat when the boat capsized near Orapadar ghat under Andrapali panchayat.
Sources said two persons are missing while another one has been rescued. A rescue and search operation has been launched to trace the two missing persons.
All the deceased including two women and seven children have been identified as residents of Hasina village in Kujang area of Jagatsinghpur. As per latest reports, one person is still missing.
Sources said as many as 55 passengers were returning after a picnic at the Light House at Hukitola island of the Mahanadi river for the New Year, when the mishap occurred. Out of the total passengers travelling in the boat, 45 persons are safe.
After getting information about the mishap last evening, fire brigade and coast guard teams reached the spot and carried out rescue operations till 3 am on Thursday.
The bodies will be brought to Chaumuhana in Paradip in a boat of the Forest department and later sent to the hospital for post mortem, added sources.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to next of kin of deceased and free medical treatment to the injured.
Transport Minister Nrusingha Sahu stated a probe has been ordered and action will be taken after getting the report.
"IWD Director & Executive Engineer along with department officials present at the spot for a probe. Action will be taken based on reports. We have enforced strict rules but public awareness is required: #Odisha Transport Minister Nrusingha Sahu on #KendraparaBoatCapsize pic.twitter.com/WmVMjb8Pr8
— OTV (@otvnews) January 3, 2019
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has expressed sadness over the incident:
କେନ୍ଦ୍ରାପଡା ହୁକିଟୋଲା ବତୀଘରରୁ ପିକନିକ ସାରି ଡଙ୍ଗାରେ ଫେରୁଥିବାବେଳେ ମହାନଦୀ ମୁହାଣର ନିପାଣିଆ ନିକଟରେ ଡଙ୍ଗା ବୁଡିବା ଖବର ଶୁଣି ମୁଁ ମର୍ମାହତ । ମୃତକଙ୍କ ପରିବାରକୁ ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଇବା ସହ ଆହତଙ୍କ ଆଶୁ ଆରୋଗ୍ୟ କାମନା କରୁଛି । ନିଖୋଜ ଥିବା ଯାତ୍ରୀ ସୁରକ୍ଷିତ ଉଦ୍ଧାର ହେବେ ବୋଲି ଶ୍ରୀ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥଙ୍କ ନିକଟରେ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା କରୁଛି। https://t.co/nKecSYJ8F0
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) January 2, 2019
Former MP Baijayant 'Jay' Panda also expressed grief over the incident and stated in a tweet message:
R.I.P?
Woke to awful news of 9 deaths from a boat capsizing in my Kendrapada, Odisha.
After every such tragedy (thr've been many), the state govt announces it will strictly enforce rules banning boats' overloading & requiring life vests / inflatable tubes on board, but does not. https://t.co/J3QkgUrwWn— Baijayant Jay Panda (@PandaJay) January 3, 2019
OPCC cheif Niranjan Patnaik condoles the loss of nine lives in the bopat accident:
"My deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the boat accident which includes seven children and two women. I pray to Lord Jagannath for a speedy recovery of those who are injured," tweets #Odisha Congress Chief Niranjan Patnaik
— OTV (@otvnews) January 3, 2019
According to sources, the boat was reportedly ferrying picnickers who were returning from Hukitola Lighthouse to Kujang area of Paradip.
As per latest reports, Fire tenders have reached the spot and launched a rescue operation. A team of ODRAF has also been called by the district collector.
"As per initial reports, 1 person has been killed and 7 others have gone missing. Nearly, 45 people were on the boat when the mishap took place," district collector Dasarath Satapathy said.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took to Twitter to express his grief on the incident. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also expressed his condolences to family members of the deceased.
କେନ୍ଦ୍ରାପଡା ହୁକିଟୋଲା ବତୀଘରରୁ ପିକନିକ ସାରି ଡଙ୍ଗାରେ ଫେରୁଥିବାବେଳେ ମହାନଦୀ ମୁହାଣର ନିପାଣିଆ ନିକଟରେ ଡଙ୍ଗା ବୁଡିବା ଖବର ଶୁଣି ମୁଁ ମର୍ମାହତ । ମୃତକଙ୍କ ପରିବାରକୁ ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଇବା ସହ ଆହତଙ୍କ ଆଶୁ ଆରୋଗ୍ୟ କାମନା କରୁଛି । ନିଖୋଜ ଥିବା ଯାତ୍ରୀ ସୁରକ୍ଷିତ ଉଦ୍ଧାର ହେବେ ବୋଲି ଶ୍ରୀ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥଙ୍କ ନିକଟରେ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା କରୁଛି। https://t.co/nKecSYJ8F0
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) January 2, 2019
According to reports, the boat carrying seven fishermen capsized after it hit a sand mound inside the sea. While one of them swam back safely, the other six did not show up.
"Six fishermen were feared drowned. Soon after we got the information, a joint team of marine police and fire personnel with the help of some local fishermen launched a rescue operation and traced the six men," informed a police official.
All the seven fishermen have been rushed to the Dhamara hospital for treatment and their condition is stated to be stable. The owner of the boat has also reached the spot and investigation is on to establish the exact reason of the mishap, he added. All the fishermen aboard the boat are residents of Kasaphal in Balasore district.
Executive engineer, Padmalochan Roul claimed that heavy rain accompanied with rough wind led to the mishap.
A seven-member team was constituted to probe under what circumstances the boat capsized in Chilika Lake. The team comprising IWTD officials, sub-Collector and BDO had carried out a fitness inspection of the boat that had met with the accident, informed sources.
On the other hand, Khurdha Collector Nirmal Chandra Mishra said "As per the CM's announcement, we sanctioned a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each for the families of the deceased yesterday. The money was released today. Besides, steps are afoot to ensure safety of visitors at the lake. Fitness and license of boats are being inspected now."
Earlier, Odisha Transport Minister, Nrusingha Charan Sahu had informed that the director of ports has been asked to conduct a detailed investigation and submit report based on which appropriate measures will be taken by the government to ensure such incidents do not recur.
At least six persons were killed after a country boat capsized in Chilika Lake following a thunderstorm on June 16.
As per information, the owner of the boat, Basant Behera who had gone hiding after the incident was reported on Saturday evening, was nabbed by Balugaon police last evening.
Earlier the boat driver was arrested in connection with the tragic incident. Police are likely to interrogate and inspect whether the owner has flouted the safety norms that should have been ensured for tourists visiting Chilika lake. It is to be noted that similar boat capsize incidents have taken place in the past and sources blame that unfit boats with no life jacket, untrained boatman and faulty engines led to such a disaster.
On Saturday, at around 5.30 pm, the boat carrying as many as 17 passengers including 15 tourists from Bhubaneswar and Nayagarh capsized in Chilika lake. The passengers were returning after a sight-seeing tour in Kalijai when the boat capsized under the impact of strong winds during a thunderstorm that lashed the region.
With the help of intense search operation by fire personnel and ODRAF team, bodies of two persons including a minor girl were fished out on Saturday while four more bodies including that of a woman, two girls and a boy were retrieved on Sunday.
As many as nine other persons who were rescued alive are undergoing treatment at hospitals in Balugaon and Bhubaneswar.
Expressing grief, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for the kin of deceased and free medical treatment for all the injured persons.
The mishap occurred when the boat carrying 16 tourists from Ranapur area of Nayagarh district including the boatman were returning from Kalijai to Balugaon at around 5:30 pm today.
According to reports, the boat capsized under the impact of strong winds during a thunderstorm that lashed the region this evening.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed deep grief over death of a child in the boat accident in Chilika. Patnaik also directed Special Relief Commissioner (SRC), Khurda and Ganjam district administration to work in coordination to expedite rescue operation.
"The boat ferrying passengers should have left the place before 5 pm. However, people usually do not listen to such directives," said Sasmita Lenka, additional chief executive, Chilika Development Authority (CDA).
Official sources said a massive rescue operation was launched by locals and fire services personnel following the boat tragedy.
All the 12 persons who were rescued following the mishap were first admitted to Balugaon hospital. Later two were shifted to Capital hospital in Bhubaneswar after their condition deteriorated.
"Rescue operations are still going on. Around 30-40 personnel are involved in the entire operation. We immediately swung into action after getting information about the mishap at around 6 pm," said Balugaon fire officer, Nityanada Jena.
Jena further informed that body of one out of three missing persons was fished out from Chilika lake while efforts are on to trace others.
A fire tender unit from here has launched a search operation to trace the missing person, identified as Budhuram Tapan. The fisherman, who belongs to Jharabahal village of Batisuan panchayat, had gone to the reservoir for fishing on his country boat.
However, the boat reportedly sank in deep water due to strong wind caused by nor'wester last night.
The fellow fishermen tried to rescue Tapan, but failed. Later they informed the villagers and fire tender units.
Following the amendment, all the passengers travelling in a licensed boat will be covered by life insurance.
Currently, there are 2,409 boats in operation in 135 water bodies and 747 ghats across the State. Out of these, 1772 boats are licensed.
Officials said, in a bid to provide insurance to the passengers, the Transport department will spend Rs 1 crore.
Also Read: Warning issued against boatmen in Chilka lake
The licensed boats will be provided with 2,750 life jackets, 550 life buoys and 110 fire extinguishers. Moreover, the Transport department will soon launch a helpline with a toll free number, which will be displayed on each ghats and boats, informed sources. The seating capacity will also be mentioned on the boat.
Reports said 29 members (18 male, 8 female and 3 children) of a family and their relatives and friends of Sabulia village were on the way to Ghantasila inside the lake for a picnic when the boatman lost control of the overloaded boat which capsized.
Hearing the cry, some local fishermen, fishing inside the lake, rushed to the spot and rescued 22 passengers.
Following information, the district administration rushed a Fire Brigade team to the spot for rescue operation.
Besides, three 108 ambulance vans and one 102 ambulance van rushed to the spot. Out of 22 rescued passengers, 11 were admitted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur while two others were admitted to government hospitals at Rambha and Khallikote.
Sources in the locality said the ill-fated boat which had a maximum capacity to ferry 10-12 passengers.
Talking to media persons, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Ganjam, Gupta Mahakud, who is presently monitoring the rescue work in the lake, said 29 persons including women and five children were travelling in the ill-fated boat.
“These passengers were from Sabalia village. They had gone to attend a marriage party yesterday and this morning they were on the way to Ghantasila for a picnic when the mishap took place at about 1.5 km from the shore,” he added.
He further said that rescue operations are underway with the help of local country boats and Fire brigade personnel. “Efforts are on to trace out the missing passengers”, he informed.
Ganjam collector Prem Chandra Choudhury who rushed to the spot along with DIG, Southern Range, informed that till now 22 passengers have been rescued of which four persons including a child have died. “Efforts are on by the Fire Brigade team and the people of the locality to trace out seven missing passengers,” he said, adding that the treatment of the rescued passengers is on.
Informing the media after the rescue operation was over, DIG, southern range, Amitabh Thakur said out of 29 passengers, 25 have been rescued and four have died.
The deceased have been identified as Jitu Pradhan (30), Sahil Pradhan (3), Sapna Swain (18 month) and Siba Purohit, he added.
Expressing profound grief over the death of four passengers in the tragic incident, chief minister Naveen Patnaik announced ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to each family of the deceased. He also directed the concerned authorities for treatment of all injured passengers and expedite rescue works.
Expressing deep shock over the incident, Governor SC Jamir wished early recovery of all injured passengers.
Meanwhile, Rambha Police has registered a case against the boat owner Dutia Mallick and boatman Hatia Mallick under section 280 and 304 of IPC for ferrying the passengers in a fishing boat.
Reports said 11 persons of Saradhapali village were on the way to Ulunda village in a country boat when the boat lost its balance due to strong wind and capsized near Telenda Ghat.
While some people managed to swim ashore, some people present near the river bank rescued some people. But despite their best efforts, they could not save three women who drowned in the river.
While the body of Sashi Mahalik (60) was fished out, another woman Kamphal Bagarti, who was rescued in a critical condition, died on the way to the district headquarters hospital.
Talking about the incident, Akrura Mahalik, an eyewitness, said the people were on the way to Ulunda village for the darshan of the Lord when the boat lost balance due to strong wind and capsized after water entered into it.
Till reports last came in, Ulunda police and the Fire brigade team of Sonepur were still on a search operation to trace out the body of Jesti Mahalik, an 80-year-old woman.
The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) team has recovered a body a woman this afternoon from Mandar Ghat area of the district.
According to reports, the deceased is yet to be identified.
The dead body of a nine-year-old was recovered today, while another rescued girl breathed her last at the hospital yesterday. While three persons were missing since yesterday, one more girl was reported as missing by the family members today. The said girl has been identified as Sagarika Mallick, daughter of Sridhar Mallick.
Two ODRAF teams are carrying out rescue work to trace the missing persons.
“The two teams of ODRAF are continuing their search opreration to trace the missing persons. If there is a need of more rescue workers then we will make the arrangements. The district police is on the job to trace the absconding boatman. I want to clarify that people who were on the boat boarded forcibly despite warning from the boatman about the dilapidated state of the boat. The boat which was there at the ghat was a defunt one and was rejected by the authorities for ferrying. However, on Monday, some people forcibly boarded another fishermen boat which was not apt for ferrying passengers,” said Dhenkanal Collector, Rupa Roshan Sahoo.
The incident occurred when villagers of Surapatrapur of Bhuban block were on their way through the Chandipal Ghat on Brahmani River to worship at Goudeswar Mahadev on the occasion of Mahashivratri yesterday.
According to sources, the boat lost its balance and capsized. Two persons were rescued while six others went missing, said sources.
While a few people swam back to shore, the two rescued were sent to hospital. One of the rescued girls identified as Rubina Rout, aged 18 years, died at the hospital. The other girl is undergoing treatment. Today morning, body of a nine-year-old identified as Satyanarayan Swain.
Four persons are still missing even as rescue operation is in progress by ODRAF and fire tender officials. The boatman of the boat is reportedly missing as investigations are on to establish the cause behind the mishap.
Minister Prafulla Mallick, Dhenkanal Collector and SP reached the spot and reviewed rescue operations.
Meanwhile, CM Naveen Patnaik has directed Dhenkanal dist administration to undertake rescue work on a war footing.
The incident occurred when villagers of Surapatrapur of Bhuban block were on their way through the Chandipal Ghat on Brahmani River to worship at Goudeswar Mahadev on the occasion of Mahashivratri.
According to sources, the boat lost its balance and capsized. Two persons have been rescued while six others are still missing, said sources.
“As per reports reaching here, a boat carrying villagers has capsized. Two persons have been rescued and are being taken to Bhuban hospital. Rescue operations have already started and the SDPO has reached the spot with a police team," said Kamakshyanagar sub collector, Manoj Behera.
The boat carrying seven fishermen was returning after a fishing voyage when the mishap took place close to the shore, said Manmohan Choudhury, Inspector of Marine Police Station here.
While five fishermen managed to reach the shore safely, two of their companions were missing, he said adding efforts were on to trace them with the help of divers and local people.
Bhubaneswar: Four days after the heart-wrenching boat capsize incident in Sambalpur district’s Hirakud reservoir that claimed 31 lives, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today reviewed Odisha Boat Rule, 2004 in a bid to strengthen the mechanism governing plying of vessels in major water bodies of the State.
The CM's meeting held at the State Secretariat here featured issues including various safety measures including availability of life jackets, trained drivers and their license.
“It was decided that all the boats plying in all big reservoirs including upper Indravati, Kolab, Hirakud, Bhitarkanika, Chilika and others will be licensed and inspected properly. Passenger capacity of the boats will be checked. It will also be investigated that whether the drivers are well trained, SRC Pradipta Mohapatra told media persons adding that Inland and waterways directorate under the department of commerce and transport will look after all these matters.
He said the CM has decided to provide adequate numbers of life saving jackets to all the boats. The inland and waterways department will take mechanical engineers from special relief department and they will camp in rotation at all the reservoirs to examine the boats and safety measures, he added.
The Congress campaigning committee chief, who is scheduled to meet some students and party leaders on the second day of his visit in Bhubaneswar, has condoled deeply the loss of 10 valuable lives.
The unfortunate incident occurred when the machine boat carrying mostly picnickers, including women and children, developed a snag in its motor pump and was flooded.
According to sources, around 100 members of the Lion's Club of Sambalpur had gone into the reservoir in two boats for a picnic.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who is in Delhi on his 4-day official visit, condoled the deaths and asked the Sambalpur district administration to speed up the rescue operation. He also declared free treatment of the injured.
Meanwhile,Finance minister Prasanna Acharya and Revenue minister Surya Narayan Patro have left for the tragedy spot to take stock of the situation. The two senior ministers will make an ariel survey of the rescue operation and are scheduled to discuss with the district administration.
According to sources, the accident happened at around 2 pm today after boat crashed with a concrete pillar near the Aswaklanta temple ghat in Guwahati.
Meanwhile, the Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been called to assist in the rescue operations. .
According to one account, there were about 50 people on the boat including some children and women. The vessel was reportedly overloaded to its capacity and was also carrying at least 15 motorcycles to Madhyam Khanda in North Guwahati from Guwahati.
The Brahmaputra is in spate due to monsoon rains in the upper reaches of Arunachal Pradesh.
The incident took place around 28 nautical miles from the shore on the high seas around 4 a.m., Kerala Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty said.
The ship's identification and more details are awaited, he said.
"We just have preliminary information and that three fishermen have been reported dead, while another eight fishermen in the boat who were saved are being brought to the shore.
"We are told that this accident occurred around 28 nautical miles from the shore. We have passed on the information to the Mumbai based Maritime Institute, who will be able to locate the ship," Mercykutty told the media.
The Indian boat named Oceanus had left the Munambam Port late on Monday for a fishing expedition in the high seas.
P.V. Sivan the owner of the boat told the media that details were awaited. Two of the rescued fishermen were being taken to a hospital, Sivan said.
The incident occurred near Manturu in Devipatnam block of East Godavari district around 5 p.m. There were 20 people on the boat when it capsized and 10 of them including two women swam to safety.
Officials launched massive rescue operations by using boats and divers. The state disaster management teams and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel were pressed into service.
The rescue efforts were on despite darkness, said local legislator V. Rajeswari, who was supervising the rescue and relief operations. District Collector Karthikeya Mishra and other top officials were on their way to the accident spot.
The boat, which sailed from Kondamodalu, was on its way Rajamahendravaram. It is believed to have capsized due to gusty winds.
Boat operator Khaja surrendered before police in Devipatnam.
According to local people, there were 40 people on boat including a marriage party. Most of the passengers were tribals from the region.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed the officials to undertake rescue operations on a war footing. He spoke to the District Collector and other officials over phone.
The incident came close on the heels of a boat with over 100 tourists catching fire in Godavari River in the same district on May 11. The passengers had a narrow escape as the driver wheeled the boat to the shore and they jumped off before the entire boat was completely gutted.
The vessel, weighing more than 9 tonnes and with 20 people on board, collided with a tanker weighing more than 300 tonnes in the waters near Yeongheung Island at around 6.10 a.m., reports Efe news.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has said that six fishermen were found unconscious and they were receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation to revive them.
President Moon Jae-in ordered the deployment of four helicopters and 14 boats to locate the missing people.
The bodies were found by people in Shah Porir Dwip village, situated off the Bay of Bengal close to Galar Char - where a boat capsized on October 8 - Main Uddin, the officer-in-charge of Teknaf police station in southeastern Bangladesh, told EFE.
Uddin said the bodies were found when they washed ashore during low tide.
Although it was not positively confirmed, both the police and locals believed that the bodies were those of victims of a boat that capsized on October 8 while carrying refugees fleeing Myanmar.
Meanwhile, the refugee influx continued in Bangladesh.
According to the UN, around 536,000 Rohingyas have arrived in Bangladesh fleeing violence in Myanmar since the end of August.
"The bodies of 10 children, one man and one woman have been recovered," Xinhua news agency quoted a senior police official as saying.
He said the accident took place late Sunday night.
Law enforcement officials recovered the bodies which were floating in the Bay of Bengal near Shah Porir Island of the district which is now home to nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, the official added.
Eleven migrants were rescued and the official said the toll might increase as many were reported missing.
A search operation is underway.
The bodies of 132 Rohingyas and a Bangladeshi boat man were recovered from the Naf River since August 29 in at least 25 boat accidents.
Over half a million Rohingya people have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar's Rakhine state amid a fresh wave of violence in the region since August 25
Law enforcers have recovered two bodies in the Bay of Bengal near Shah Porir Island of Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district, Xinhua news agency reported.
The exact number of the people on board is so far unknown.
According to a survivor, who told local TV channel ATN News, the boat packed with some 40 Rohingya people capsized on the Myanmar side of the river.
Eleven people were rescued, according to the ATN News report.
Quoting another survivor who managed to swim ashore, Lieutenant Colonel SM Ariful Islam with the Border Guard of Bangladesh told the leading Bengali daily newspaper Prothom Alo that the rescued claim that 30 to 32 people have been missing.
The official feared the death toll will rise, as more bodies are likely to be retrieved with a search operation now underway.
Personnel of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force and fire brigade on Wednesday fished out two bodies while four others were recovered by Tuesday evening, an official said.
Police have lodged a complaint against the boatman, who fled after the accident.
"We have lodged a complaint against the boatman and one of his assistants. He is on the run. We are conducting raids to nab him," said Kamakhyanagar sub-divisional police officer Abdul Rahim.
Meanwhile, the district collector has submitted a preliminary report to the special relief commissioner, who has ordered a probe and submission of a report on the accident.
The state government announced an ex gratia payment of Rs.4 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.
The boat sank late Monday evening as 30-35 villagers of Surapratappur were on way to Lord Daudeswar's temple in Gondia block on the occasion of Mahashivaratri.
Superintendent of Police Hari Kishore Rai said 12 people were on their way to cut grass on a dry patch of land in the middle of the river when their boat capsized.
Six of them went missing while six others swam to safety, he said, adding that no bodies have been recovered so far.
"Efforts are on to trace the missing people," the SP said.
The boat carrying 60 people capsized and 22 persons drowned, District Magistrate Bhawani Singh said
Police and PAC personnel have fished out 22 bodies so far while 10 others have been rescued.
A search is on to trace others.
Besides tourist boats, a large number of fishing boats operate from lakeside villages to ferry visitors to exotic locations inside the lagoon.
Such boats operate from jetties like Sabulia, Rambha, Barkul, Balugaon and Satapada. Tourists opt to use these boats since they charge less even if it means compromising on safety, said a tourist boat operator.
"Since they don't operate from regular jetties meant for tourists, we don't have a say. Besides, since they are locals, we don't want to create an atmosphere of hostility with them," he said.
The 29 people, who were onboard the ill-fated boat yesterday had promised a lump sum amount for a two-way journey for the entire group, said Bideshi Mallick, one of the boatmen.
"Apart from bargaining the price, many people prefer fishing boats because the smaller boats give them privacy unlike the bigger tourist boats. Moreover, while tourist boats have fixed timings, the fishing boats offer flexibility in timing," said Piyush Pradhan, a tourist.
Also read: Chilika boat mishap: Govt seeks detailed report
In terms of safety features "many boatmen are not properly trained leading to collisions between boats in middle of the lake," said another tourist.
Around 1,200 tourist boats operate in the vast waterbody from different lakeside corners of Chilika in Ganjam district.
Assistant Director, Inland water transport (IWT), Balugaon, P K Das said Fisheries department issues licence to fishing boats.
"We will now launch an inquiry about the safety measures of different tourists boats operating in the Chilika," Das said.
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.
Four persons including three women and a minor went missing after a boat they were onboard capsized in Barlabandh canal under Nakamamudi panchayat of Malkangiri district on Monday.
According to reports, the incident occurred when the boat carrying around seven persons, who were returning home after finishing their agriculture work, capsized in the canal yesterday evening.
While three among the seven persons managed to swim bank to the bank of the canal, four others went missing.
Locals after getting information about the incident have launched a rescue operation to trace the missing persons.
In Ganjam, six fishermen swam back safely to shore while one identified as D Sanyasi was rescued in critical condition after the boat they were travelling in capsized in sea near Gokharkuda in the district early morning today.
Sanyasi was initially rushed to Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Ganjam and later shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur.
According to sources, the boat overturned following a high tide and later capsized in the sea.
Two passengers were missing and 23 persons were rescued after the boat carrying 46 passengers sank on its way from Ross Island to the North Bay at around 4 PM, said P Johar, Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman district.
Sources in the district administration said that the boat had a capacity to carry 25 people, but there were 46 passengers on board.
Most of the tourists were from Kanchipuram district in Tamil Nadu while others were from Mumbai in addition to the crew-members.
Civil administration and defence establishments like the Coast Guard rescued 23 passengers and efforts were on to trace the whereabouts of two missing, the sources said.
It was suspected that some persons might have been trapped in the cabin of the boat 'Aqua Marine'.
The tourists from Kanchipuram were staying in a resort at Prothrapur in South Andaman district. Lt Governor Lt Gen (Retd) A K Singh announced an ex-gratia of Rs one lakh to the family of the deceased.
Singh also spoke to Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and briefed him on the rescue operation he ordered after the accident.
The rescued persons were admitted to the G B Pant Hospital in Port Blair. The bodies were also taken there for postmortem, the sources said.
Helpline numbers set up at the district control room are: 1070, 03192-240127/230178/238881 and those in the G B Pant Hospital are: 03192-230629/9933274092. The local helpline number is 102.
Additional District Magistrate of South Andaman has been directed to conduct a magisterial enquiry into the incident.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed shock over the boat tragedy and condoled the loss of lives, a PMO statement said in New Delhi.
As per sources, one of the boats capsized in the river first forcing the panic-stricken occupants to jump to the other boat to save their lives. However, due to more weight after the addition of passengers, the other boat also gave in and drowned in the river.
As many as 3 people managed to save their lives by swimming all the way to the river bank, however, till the latest reports came in, 7 people were still missing. Informed, ODRAF teams begun search and rescue operation in the river and recovered the body of one of them.
The incident comes just days after a boat capsized in the same Sileru river near the banks of Orapadar village in Andrapali gram panchayat of Malkangiri.
More details awaited.
The boat was ferrying 11 persons from Orapadar to Bakuli under Andarapali Panchayat in Chitrakonda block when it capsized.
While eight of them managed to swim back to the river bank, three others including a woman and her daughter reported missing.
Following the accident, the firefighters have launched a rescue operation in the reservoir to trace out the missing persons with the help of locals.
NDRF personnel reached the spot on time and rescued all the pilgrims -- three women and eight men, the official said.
The boat capsized apparently after losing balance near the Sangam, he said. PTI CORR
The missing person has been identified Guru Andala of Chitapari village under Korkunda tehsil in Malkangiri district while the rescued person has been identified as Gopi Andala of Durla village.
As per reports, Guru had come to Gopi's house in Durla village and the duo was returning to Malkangiri in the boat when the mishap took place. Although locals present near the ghat rushed to the spot and managed to rescue Gopi, Guru went missing in the waters.
Later, fire brigade personnel rushed to the spot after getting information and launched a rescue operation. Further details awaited.
Another 47 people were rescued from the vessel, which sank off the country's eastern Mosquitia region on the Caribbean coast, the BBC reported on Thursday.
The 70-tonne boat was packed with fisherman after the government lifted a seasonal ban on fishing for lobster.
It is not clear what caused the accident and an investigation has been launched.
The captain of the boat sent out an SOS signal but died shortly after, the local media reported.
Jose Meza, a spokesman for the armed forces, told a media outlet that the bodies and survivors would be taken to the nearby city of Puerto Lempira.
He said that shortly before the accident on Wednesday another boat -- which had also been overcrowded -- had sunk in the same area.
At least 40 people were rescued in that case and no deaths were reported.
The accidents occurred on Saturday off the rough seas between the city of Iloilo and Guimaras province amid heavy rains, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
The capsized vessels are Chi-chi, with four crew members and 43 passengers aboard, Kezziah, with four crew members, and Jenny Vince, which was carrying 34 passengers and four crew members, reports Efe news.
At least 59 people who were rescued are being attended to by emergency services and the Red Cross.
Dozens of people die in the Philippines each year in accidents at sea caused mostly by bad weather, failure to comply with safety regulations, poor vessel maintenance and overloading.
The worst accident in modern commercial navigation happened in the Philippines in 1987 when the Doña Paz ferry capsized in the waters of Leyte after colliding with an oil tanker, killing 4,341 people.
Sources said, around nine people including the four aforementioned persons boarded a boat for travelling from Khadakprasad ghat to Kundandeipur ghat across Brahmani river when it lost balance and capsized in the middle of the river.
While five persons managed to swim ashore, four others went missing during the incident. ODRAF and Fire personnel launched a search operation to rescue the missing persons but have been unable to trace them.
Locals and eyewitnesses who successfully managed to escape from the mishap narrated that the boat capsized in the river because of overloading.
“Due to flood-like situation in the river, the boat lost balance and capsized. We somehow made it to the shore but I hope that the rescuers trace the remaining persons who are still missing,” informed Rajendra Sahoo, a local.
Kamakshyanagar Sub- Collector Bishnu Prasad Acharaya said, “The fire personnel and ODRAF have been pressed into action since last night but the missing four persons are yet to be traced. We have also engaged a team on the other side of the river near Gangijodi ghat.”
The exact details of the mishap and the number of persons in the ill-fated boat were not immediately available.
Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority- APSDMA reported, 11 people have lost their lives in the incident where a tourist boat carrying 61 people capsized in Godavari river in Devipatnam, East Godavari district, today.
The river has been in spate for the past few days and over 5.13 lakh cusecs of floodwater was flowing on Sunday afternoon when the mishap occurred.
"We are trying to ascertain the details," East Godavari District Superintendent of Police Adnan Nayeem Asmi told PTI.
Sources said there were about 60 people, including 11 crew members, in the boat run by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation.
The boat started off for the picturesque Papikondalu, a prime tourist destination, from Gandi Pochamma Temple near Devipatnam and it capsized near Kachhuluru, the sources said.
State Chief Secretary L V Subrahmanyam spoke to East Godavari District Collector Muralidhar Reddy and enquired about the incident.
The Chief Secretary directed that a helicopter be pressed into service to trace the boat mishap victims.
Police and other rescue teams have started off from East and West Godavari districts for the accident spot, but it could take some time for them to reach there because of the swollen state of the river, official sources said.
Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy ordered all available ministers in the district to supervise rescue works at site of incident where a tourist boat carrying 61 people capsized in East Godavari. He also directed officials to suspend all boating services in the region immediately.
The deceased persons, whose bodies were recovered yesterday, are stated to be close relatives to each other.
A country-made boat reportedly capsized near Ambulibeda earlier on Friday after a high tide hit the boat when four residents of Totaguda village were returning home from Nakamamudi.
While a woman's body was recovered on the same day, the three others continued to remain missing despite two days of search operations.
Meanwhile, normal life in several parts of Odisha was also adversely affected due to dense fog today. Visibility dropped to less than 20 to 30 mts at some places including in the outskirts of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.
The dense fog cover created problems for the commuters particularly on the National Highways.
Met officials informed that moderate to shallow fog will prevail in isolated parts of the State for the next three to five days.
Meteorologist Sudhakar Barik informed that dense to very dense fog conditions will prevail at isolated parts of Bolangir, Kalahandi, Angul, Boudh, Kandhamal and Koraput districts tomorrow.
Earlier, the Regional Meteorological Centre had issued ‘yellow warning’ for nine districts- Khurda, Puri, Bhadrak, Nayagarh, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Koraput, Sundergarh and Keonjhar.
The mishap occurred when both of them along with several others from Sonepur were returning from Maa Baikani Jatra being organised at the mid-river. Thousands of people from Binika and its vicinities had gathered to witness the popular fest.
However, during their return journey, the boat carrying them turned turtle. Receiving information, Binika fire brigade teams rushed to the spot and fished out the body of Suleman but his son Azlan remained untraceable.
After a three-hour-long search operation, the fire services and ODRAF personnel were able to trace the body of the minor boy.
Meanwhile, Police have initiated an investigation to ascertain the exact reason behind the mishap.
READ | 3 Youths Missing After Boat Capsizes In Odisha’s Jalaput Reservoir