A tragic boat capsize in the Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura has claimed at least 11 lives, with four people still missing as an extensive search and rescue operation continues. The incident occurred on Friday around 3:00 pm near a pontoon bridge between Vrindavan and Mant, when a tourist boat carrying more than two dozen passengers overturned in the river.
Authorities confirmed that one more body was recovered on Saturday, taking the death toll to 11. The deceased has been identified as Manik Tandon from Ludhiana. Officials stated that his body was found nearly 800 metres to one kilometre away from the accident site, indicating that the victims may have been carried downstream by the river’s current. Search operations are now being conducted across a stretch of nearly 14 kilometres, with concerns that missing individuals could have drifted even further.
So far, 22 people have been rescued, and those injured are reported to be in stable condition. The rescue mission, which has been underway for over 20 hours, involves a large-scale deployment of more than 20 teams, including personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), PAC units, the Army’s Strike One Corps, and private divers. Officials confirmed that the capsized boat has been retrieved, and no additional bodies were found trapped beneath it.
Preliminary investigations suggest multiple factors may have contributed to the accident. Police have arrested the boat operator, Pappu, alleging negligence. He is accused of operating the vessel at high speed without providing life jackets to passengers, despite objections. The boat is believed to have collided with a floating pontoon structure or drum left behind after a nearby temporary bridge was dismantled due to rising water levels. Some local accounts have also pointed to strong winds as a possible factor that destabilised the boat before it overturned.
Most of the passengers were tourists from Punjab, part of a larger group of around 150 pilgrims visiting Vrindavan from Ludhiana and Muktsar. Authorities have nearly completed post-mortem procedures and are making arrangements to send the bodies back to their hometowns.
An inquiry into the incident is expected to be initiated after the rescue operations conclude. The tragedy has raised serious concerns over safety measures, particularly the absence of life jackets and the handling of river transport in high-risk conditions.
