Patna boat horror: 21 bodies recovered so far, 3 NDRF teams on spot

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Director General R.K. Pachnanda on Sunday said that twenty one bodies have been recovered so far, after two boats carrying about 40 people turned turtle in Ganga river in Patna yesterday.

Pachnanda told ANI that three NDRF team are at the site to recover more bodies and the rescue operation is underway.

"21 bodies have been recovered so far, search and rescue operation is underway. 3 NDRF teams are at the spot. We are trying our best. We have deported three teams for the operation. It is extremely tragic incident. People were taking boats one after another. When the people realised that their boat was capsizing they tried to jump to the other boat then both the boats capsized due to over load," he added.

The incident, took place near the bank around 6 pm yesterday. The rescue teams saved eight people at the time, while 25 others swam to the bank.

The boat was returning from a kite festival organised in an island situated in the middle of the river as a part of the Makar Sankranti celebration.

Meanwhile, Expressing deep sorrow over the tragedy in Ganga river here today where a boat turned turtle killing almost 19 people, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an ex-gratia of Rs. four lakhs and directed the concerned departments to speed up the rescue and relief operation.

He has also directed the officials of the Disaster Management, Police and District Administrators to speed up operation and to look into the arrangement made by the organizers at the bank of the River Ganga.