Death toll in Mahanadi boat capsize mishap rises to 7; one more missing

According to reports, the fire services personnel on Saturday morning fished out bodies of six persons — three women and as many children — during the rescue operation. One person is still missing, reports added.

On Friday evening, bodies of one person were recovered from the mishap site.

The mishap occurred when 51 persons, all hailing from Kharsia and its adjoining villages in Chhattisgarh, were sailing in a country-boat to an islet in the Mahanadi river to offer prayers in a temple located there.

“As many as 51 residents of Kharsia and its adjoining villages of Chhattisgarh had sailed from Saradha Ghat under Lakhanpur block of Jharsuguda district to reach the temple located on an island in Mahanadi. On the way to the temple, the boat capsized at a place called Banjipali in Bargarh district,” a resident of Bargarh said.

As the boat began to sink, some fishermen who were fishing in the nearby waters rushed to the rescue of passengers. They lifted 43 passengers to their boats while seven persons went missing,

As per latest reports, rescuers were still pursuing the mission to trace out the missing person.

As many as five scuba divers, flown from Cuttack to the mishap site, are assisting the fire services persons, the reports said.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for next of kin of each deceased.