Toll in Godavari boat tragedy mounts to 27

19 still missing; family members mount anxious vigil

A woman, who lost her family members in the Godavari boat mishap, waits for the bodies, at Devipatnam on the bank of the river in East Godavari district on Tuesday.

The toll in the tourist boat capsize in the River Godavari rose to 27 on Tuesday with disaster response force and fire services personnel retrieving 18 more bodies. Nine bodies were traced till Monday.

The private tourist boat, with 73 persons on board, including tourists, capsized at Kachluru village on Sunday. As many as 27 tourists were saved, while 19 are still missing.

Director General of Police (DGP) Gautam Sawang said the identity of 25 victims had been established.

Rampachodavaram Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Vakul Jindal said rescue teams and fishermen from East and Godavari districts were searching for the missing persons.

The bodies, which were badly decomposed, were shifted to the Rampachodavaram and Rajahmundry government hospitals and would be handed over to the family members after the post-mortem.

Devipatnam SI B. Naga Durga Prasad said Medical and Health Department personnel had arranged ambulances and special teams to conduct the post-mortem immediately.

NDRF 10th Battalion Second-in-Commandant Santosh Kumar Sharma said many bodies were seen floating in the river at Kachluru and neighbouring villages.

“Search operations will continue at night under floodlights. On Sunday, eight bodies were traced, and on the second day only one body was retrieved. Since last night, 18 bodies have been retrieved, ” Mr. Sharma told The Hindu .

Minister visits Devipatnam

Meanwhile, family members who lost their dear ones were seen waiting on the banks of the river at Devipatnam, and at the Rajahmundry Government General Hospital.

“We got information from fishermen that a couple of bodies were traced downstream of Devipatnam,” Mr. Durga Prasad said.

Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivas visited Devipatnam and enquired with the officials about the search operations. ITDA Project Officer Nishant Kumar, Rampachodavaram Revenue Divisional Officer B. Srinivas and other officicials were monitoring the situation.

Mr. Sawang undertook an aerial survey and later held a meeting with police personnel at Rajahmundry.