At least 10 individuals have lost their lives, and there are concerns about several others missing following a tragic incident where a boat carrying approximately 25–30 pilgrims capsized in the Yamuna River near Keshighat in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh on Friday.
The overcrowded vessel overturned near a pontoon bridge in Vrindavan, leading to a state of panic among those on board. Promptly, rescue operations were initiated, with local authorities, police, and disaster response teams managing to save over 14 people so far.
Efforts to locate the missing passengers are ongoing as there are fears that around a dozen individuals might still be unaccounted for. Mathura District Magistrate Chandraprakash Singh described the event as “very unfortunate,” revealing that the group was from Punjab and had been visiting the river at the time of the accident.
Mathura DIG Shailesh Kumar Pandey detailed that the boat mishap occurred around 3:15 pm near a pontoon bridge on the Yamuna River. Initial reports suggest that the boat was carrying between 25 to 27 passengers. Witness statements indicate that the boat collided with the pontoon bridge, believed to be the primary cause of the tragedy.
As of now, 10 bodies have been recovered, and the search and rescue operations are ongoing with the involvement of various teams, including fire services, police, divers, and boatmen. Additionally, teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are en route to provide assistance.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has acknowledged the incident and extended condolences to the families of the deceased. He has instructed officials to expedite relief measures, ensure immediate support for the injured, and arrange appropriate compensation for the affected families.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed sorrow over the tragic incident, offering condolences to the victims’ families and wishing a speedy recovery for the injured individuals. Further updates are expected as rescue teams continue their search efforts in the river.
In response to the situation, control rooms have been established in Punjab to aid the affected families, with Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain confirming continuous coordination with officials in Vrindavan. Helpline numbers have been made available in Ludhiana and Jagraon for assistance, and special civil and police teams have been dispatched for coordination purposes.
Authorities urge the public to remain calm, refrain from spreading misinformation, and stand united during this challenging time as rescue and support operations persist.