The death toll in the cruise boat disaster at Bargi Dam in Jabalpur has risen to 13 after authorities recovered the bodies of the final two missing passengers, bringing closure to the search operation.
Officials confirmed that the last victims—a five-year-old boy and his uncle Kamraj, around 50—were found floating in the reservoir on Sunday morning. Both bodies were retrieved and sent to a government hospital for postmortem examination. With this recovery, all individuals who were reported missing after the incident have now been accounted for, according to Sub-Divisional Officer of Police Anjul Ayank Mishra.
The tragedy occurred on Thursday evening when a nearly two-decade-old boat operated by the state tourism department capsized during a sudden storm. The vessel lost balance amid strong winds and rough waters, leading to one of the deadliest boating incidents in the region in recent years.
A large-scale search effort was launched immediately after the accident, involving Army divers airlifted from Agra along with teams from the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, and local rescue personnel. The coordinated operation continued for several days until all victims were located.
Police stated that 41 passengers have been formally identified as being on board, of whom 28 were rescued alive. CCTV footage from the boarding area had initially indicated that up to 43 people may have approached the vessel, raising concerns about passenger tracking and oversight.
Following the incident, the state government ordered a formal inquiry, dismissed three crew members associated with the vessel, and imposed a ban on similar boating operations across the state. The focus now shifts to determining accountability and addressing safety lapses that may have contributed to the accident.
