Five people were killed when a boat with 62 people including crew members capsized in the Godavari river near Devipatnam in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday afternoon, officials said.
Forty people are still missing while 17 swam to safety after the incident in the East Godavari district, officials said.
Two NDRF teams, each with 30 members, were sent to the spot, according to relief and rehabilitation department authorities.
Most people on board the Royal Vashishta were tourists travelling to Papikondalu, a famous tourist spot near Rajahmundry.
A chopper has been pressed into service to locate the boat. The Godavari river has been in spate due to fresh floods for the last one week.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is reviewing the situation. He has directed local ministers and MLAs to supervise rescue operations.
Two boats of the AP Tourism Department have been sent to the spot.
Tourism Minister Muthamsetty Srinivasa Rao said the capsized boat didn’t have a licence of the Tourism Department, but had permission from Kakinada Port authorities.
First Published:
Sep 15, 2019 15:01 IST
Source: HindustanTimes