AP boat tragedy: HP guv condoles deaths

Himachal Pradesh Governor Bandaru Dattatreya on Monday expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased in the boat capsize in Andhra Pradesh.

The toll in the boat tragedy, which occurred on Sunday, rose to 12 with the recovery of four more bodies, including that of an infant, on Monday morning, official sources said.

The boat 'Royal Vasishta', carrying around 60 tourists, was headed for the picturesque Papikondalu hills when it capsized in the swollen Godavari river, apparently on colliding with a large rock formation, at Kachchuluru, around 200 km from here.

"Deeply pained at the loss of precious lives due to capsizing of a boat in East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased," the governor wrote on Twitter.

With 21 more people missing, extensive search operations were being carried out by the Navy, NDRF, SDRF and state authorities.

One helicopter of the Navy and another of the ONGC have been pressed into service, while eight boats were being used by NDRF and SDRF personnel to search for the people feared drowned.