Survivors of the Bargi Dam boat tragedy in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur have alleged glaring safety lapses and ignored warnings moments before the vessel capsized, describing scenes of panic, chaos, and people “crying for help” as water rapidly filled the boat.
Several said passengers were not given life jackets in advance and that repeated pleas to the operator to steer to safety amid strong winds went unheeded.
Nine people have died and several others remain missing after the cruise boat capsized on Thursday. The vessel, carrying 29 people, overturned during a cruise activity meant for tourists.
Twenty-four passengers have so far been rescued from the water, as per officials. Bodies of the dead were recovered and sent for postmortem examination.
Search and rescue operations continued on Friday as officials struggled to trace remaining passengers.
“It was really windy. We told the boat operator to come to the other end, but he paid no heed,” Samrat, who was present at the site and took part in rescue efforts, told news agency ANI.
Authorities have announced compensation for victims’ families. The Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) will provide an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh to the next of kin of each dead, while injured persons will receive ₹50,000.
