Major Accident in Bihar: Boat En Route to Jharkhand Capsizes in Ganges River, 3 Dead
A tragic boat accident took place on Sunday morning in Bihar's Katihar district, taking three lives and leaving four people missing. The mishap occurred in the Ganges River when a boat travelling from Golaghat, Bihar, to Sakri Gali, Jharkhand, capsized without warning.
Incident Report
The boat that was carrying 18 passengers at best left the port of Golaghat, which is towards Sakri Gali, in the morning by 8:30 AM. Reports say the swift current swept the boat sideways and it capsized on the middle part of the river Ganges immediately. Witnesses assert that the boat was overloaded which added to a lot of weight that made the boat unstable eventually capsizing on its side. Casualties and Missing Persons
Unfortunately, three people died in the accident, including a one-year-old child. The deceased have been identified as Sudhir Mandal, 70 years old, and Pawan Kumar, 60 years old, who were residents of Meghu Tola in Katihar. The bodies of the victims were recovered from the river and have been sent for post-mortem examinations.
Four people are missing and presumed to be victims of the accident. Rescue teams, including the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), have been deployed to search for the missing individuals using divers and other specialized equipment.
कटिहार में आज सुबह एक दर्दनाक नाव हादसा हुआ, जिसमें तीन लोगों की मौत की सूचना है। घटना अमदाबाद थाना क्षेत्र के गदाई दियारा में हुई, जहां सुबह लोग खेत देखने और काम करने के लिए नाव से जा रहे थे। अचानक नाव अनियंत्रित होकर पलट गई, जिससे यह हादसा हुआ।
— Prabhakar Kumar (@prabhakarjourno) January 19, 2025
इस घटना में कुल 17 लोग नाव में… pic.twitter.com/Gu70BzJwDW
Rescue Operations and Emergency Response
After receiving the distress call, local authorities mobilized emergency response teams to the scene immediately. BDO Durgesh Kumar, CO Sneha Kumari, and Station In-charge Kundan Kumar were the first to arrive, assuring the victims and their families of immediate assistance. Six fire engines were deployed to combat the raging flames caused by the cylinder explosions in the tents, which further complicated the rescue efforts.
Of the 18 people on board, seven escaped swimming to safety. Four people were rescued and taken to the hospital with injuries that range from minor to severe. The remaining four are still being traced.
Authorities are appealing to the public for any information about the remaining four missing passengers from the sinking ferry.
Cause of the Accident
Preliminary probe findings indicate overloading, whereby the boat ferried more than its capacity caused an imbalance which was worsened by strong currents in Ganges River preventing the boat's stability. Experts are carrying thorough investigations to unearth the real reasons behind the mishap and to lay bare any form of negligence to safety standards that may have taken place.
