16 dead as boat capsizes in Krishna river

Vessel heading to Pavitra Sangamam was being operated without permission

A fanatic rescue operation is mounted as the boat sinks in the
Krishna river on Sunday.

Sixteen persons were killed when a boat carrying tourists capsized in the Krishna river on Sunday evening. The bot, with around 40 persons, was heading to the Pavitra Sangamam ferry ghat near Ibrahimpatanam.

Fifteen persons were rescued by the local fisherman. As the boat overturned, the tourists were trapped underneath. Five bodies were recovered from under the boat. The deceased included six women and for children.

The tourists on the boat Were heading to witness the grand maha haarathi ritual at the Pavitra Sanganmam on the last Sunday of the auspicious month of Karthika. Most of the passengers were side to be members club in Prakasam district, while some were from Nellore.

The banks of the river were crowded with holiday visitors when the tragedy struck. An eyewitness said as the boat came close to the tourists rushed to one side, causing the vessel to till and capsize.

National Disaster Response Force teams and the Krishna district authorities launched a massive search and rescue operation to trace the missing passengers and to locate the bodies.