Even as the death toll in the boat tragedy in the Sunderbans rose to 25, it is feared that many more may have been killed as scores of persons were missing despite search operations.
Nearly 120 people have been rescued in operations that continued at the site near Kakdwip in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Sunday.
Although initial reports suggested that nearly 100 people may be missing, district authorities have not been able to ascertain the exact figure of the missing persons.
West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee called for an “all-out effort” in rescue and search operations.
He visited a jetty at Kakdwip in the evening, after which, he held a meeting with officials of the district administration to discuss ways to expedite rescue operations. He also went to a local hospital where some of those rescued are admitted.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was expected to visit the spot later in the evening.
Aggrieved relatives of the missing persons alleged that the measures taken by the administration in conducting search and rescue operations were inadequate.
The operations were suspended after sun down on Saturday. Divers from the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam were flown in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
