10 tourists dead as boat capsizes in Yamuna

MATHURA/CHANDIGARH: A boat carrying tourists, primarily from Punjab, capsized in the Yamuna in Vrindavan on Friday afternoon, leaving at least 10 people dead and several others missing, officials said.

The accident occurred near Kesi ghat when the boat carrying over two dozen tourists moved into deeper waters and hit a floating pontoon, they said.

Authorities noted that a pontoon bridge had recently been dismantled in the area due to rising water levels, leaving some pontoon drums in the river, one of which the boat is believed to have collided with.

District magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh reported six fatalities earlier and later rescuers recovered four more bodies, taking the toll to 10, the district administration officials confirmed.

“Sixteen to 17 people have been rescued safely so far. Efforts are ongoing to locate the missing,” the DM said earlier, adding that all the tourists aboard were from Punjab.

The district magistrate said the exact number of people on board the boat at the time of the accident has yet to be ascertained.