By Express News Service
GUWAHATI: Nearly ten people were reported missing after a mechanised boat sank in the Brahmaputra in Assam’s Dhubri district on Thursday.Official sources said the mishap was caused by the boat’s collision with a post underwater. The incident occurred at around 10:30 am near the riverbank. Several people, including women and schoolchildren, were rescued by the locals while some managed to swim to safety. Some of them were injured and admitted to a hospital.The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said altogether 29 people were in the boat. However, locals claimed there were more than 50 people.
WATCH:Circle Officer Sanju Das was among those missing. He was returning along with a Lat Mondal (revenue official) and an ASDMA field officer, after inspecting an erosion-affected area.“The boat hit a post inside the river and sank. Locals and SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) personnel rescued many people but 9-10 others, including the Circle Officer, are missing,” the ASDMA said in a statement.
ALSO READ | ‘Toxic gas’ kills three labourers in Assam coal mine, eight heldIt added that the rescue operation was on and additional support with deep sea divers from the SDRF was deputed to the site. The rescuers recovered the boat and some two-wheelers which were in it.“Some people are missing and the rescue operation is on. I pray to god for the safety of each one of them. It is a country boat meant for ferrying cargo. I don’t know why the Circle Officer was in it,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.Congress said it would send a delegation to the site on Friday. The team will also meet the senior officials of the administration and demand an investigation, the party said.
GUWAHATI: Nearly ten people were reported missing after a mechanised boat sank in the Brahmaputra in Assam’s Dhubri district on Thursday.
Official sources said the mishap was caused by the boat’s collision with a post underwater. The incident occurred at around 10:30 am near the riverbank. Several people, including women and schoolchildren, were rescued by the locals while some managed to swim to safety. Some of them were injured and admitted to a hospital.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said altogether 29 people were in the boat. However, locals claimed there were more than 50 people.
WATCH:
Circle Officer Sanju Das was among those missing. He was returning along with a Lat Mondal (revenue official) and an ASDMA field officer, after inspecting an erosion-affected area.
“The boat hit a post inside the river and sank. Locals and SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) personnel rescued many people but 9-10 others, including the Circle Officer, are missing,” the ASDMA said in a statement.
ALSO READ | ‘Toxic gas’ kills three labourers in Assam coal mine, eight held
It added that the rescue operation was on and additional support with deep sea divers from the SDRF was deputed to the site. The rescuers recovered the boat and some two-wheelers which were in it.
“Some people are missing and the rescue operation is on. I pray to god for the safety of each one of them. It is a country boat meant for ferrying cargo. I don’t know why the Circle Officer was in it,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
Congress said it would send a delegation to the site on Friday. The team will also meet the senior officials of the administration and demand an investigation, the party said.
