A picnic that turns into drama.
Twenty-seven students and several teachers saw their boat sink in a lake in the state of Gujarat, in western India, during a school trip on Thursday January 18.
At least thirteen children aged around ten and two of their teachers died in the disaster.
“A boat carrying students who had come here for a picnic overturned in Harni Lake in the afternoon.
Firefighters have so far rescued seven students, while searches are underway to find the missing,” Parth Brahmbhatt, Vadodara city fire chief, told India Today a few hours after the incident.
#WATCH |
Gujarat: A boat carrying children capsized in Vadodara's Harni Motnath Lake.
Rescue operations underway.
pic.twitter.com/gC07EROBkh
— ANI (@ANI) January 18, 2024
Several dozen people joined rescue operations around the lake to try to find survivors until nightfall.
Terrible tragedy in Vadodara, Gujarat.
Boat carrying school children + teachers for picnic in Harni lake capsized.
16 died.
💔
And the nightmare is still unfolding.
According to reports, the boat with capacity of 16 was carrying 27 persons and there were no life jackets.
pic.twitter.com/BInfYpoOOE
— Cow Momma (@Cow__Momma) January 18, 2024
Although they confirmed that the death toll was fifteen, officials of the hospital which treated the victims did not reveal the identity of the children.
“My thoughts are with the families during this time of mourning,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X. “May the injured recover quickly.
The local administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected people,” he added.
Some students did not wear life jackets
For the moment, the causes of the incident have not been determined, but Shailesh Mehta, a local deputy, blames the owner of the boat which transported the students.
“It’s the boat company manager’s fault.
There were more people on the boat than its maximum capacity.
The government will have to take strict action against the contractor.
»
Several survivors of the sinking told local media that many passengers on board were not wearing life jackets.
Fatal boat accidents are not uncommon in India.
Last year, at least 22 people were killed when their two-story tourist boat capsized in the southern state of Kerala.