Patna: Two people died and five others remain missing after a small boat carrying labourers capsized in the Ganges River near Umanath Ganga Ghat in Barh subdivision of Patna district on Wednesday, officials said.
According to preliminary information, 14 to 15 people were travelling toward the Diara region to harvest vegetables when strong winds overturned the boat midstream.
Seven Rescued From River
Local boatmen rushed to the spot after hearing cries for help and managed to rescue seven people from the river.
Officials said the bodies of one woman and one young man were later recovered during the rescue operation. Search efforts are continuing for the remaining missing passengers.
Police officials said the exact number of people onboard is still being verified.
SDRF Teams Conduct Search Operation
Senior administrative and police officials reached the site soon after the incident.
Barh Station House Officer Brajkishore Singh, SDPO Ramkrishna, SDM Garima Lohia and Circle Officer Dr Narendra Kumar Singh supervised relief operations at the ghat.
A team from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was deployed to carry out search operations in the river.
Eyewitnesses Questioned
Police officials said eyewitnesses and rescued passengers are being questioned to establish the sequence of events leading to the accident.
Authorities suspect strong winds and unstable river conditions may have contributed to the boat overturning, though an official confirmation is awaited.
Crowd Gathers at Ghat
A large number of local residents gathered at Umanath Ganga Ghat following the incident as rescue teams continued operations late into the day.
Administrative officials said relief and rescue work would continue until all missing persons are traced.
