Tragedy struck as a boat, which was carrying 27 students from a private school on a picnic to Harni Lake in Gujarat's Vadodara, capsized, resulting in a devastating incident that claimed the lives of 14 individuals. Among the victims were 12 children and two teachers who were part of the ill-fated excursion. Disturbingly, none of the students were reportedly equipped with life jackets during this unfortunate incident.
Following the tragic capsize, the fire brigade swiftly initiated a search operation to locate and rescue the students. The current status indicates that seven students have been successfully rescued, but the search continues for the remaining individuals.
A tweet from My Vadodara reported one confirmed student fatality, emphasizing that the search efforts persist for the others. The community has come together in collective prayers for the well-being and safety of the missing students.
Vadodara's Chief Fire Officer, Parth Brahmbhatt, provided insights into the situation, stating, "A boat carrying school students, who came here on a picnic, overturned in Harni lake in the afternoon. The fire brigade has so far rescued seven students, while a search is on for the missing ones," as reported to PTI.
In response to this heart-wrenching incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended a solatium of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the families of the injured. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, expressing deep concern, canceled his appointments and announced his departure for Vadodara. He assured a state government solatium of Rs 4 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the families of the injured.
Amidst ongoing emergency relief, rescue operations, and medical treatments, the collective hope and prayer remain that more lives can be saved. Vadodara MLA Shailesh Mehta attributed the tragedy to the boat contractor, asserting that the vessel had exceeded its capacity. He expressed the intention to urge the government to take stringent action against the contractor responsible for this grievous lapse.
