40 feared drowned as boat capsizes

HYDERABAD: At least 40 people, mostly tribals, were feared drowned when a private boat in which they were travelling capsized in the Godavari river due to inclement weather in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari district on Tuesday evening, police said.

According to initial reports, the boat with about 50 passengers was sailing from the tribal hamlet of Kondamodalu on the banks of the Godavari to Rajah- mundry, when it overturned in the water due to heavy gales at Mantoor village of Devipatnam block at around 5 pm.

While 10 passengers, including two women, swam to the shore, the remaining passengers are feared drowned in the waters and their whereabouts were not known till the reports last came in. The passengers included a 20-member marriage party, the survivors told locals.

While the local tribal people immediately swung into action to rescue the passengers, the district authorities also reached there along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams to take up rescue operations. Superintendents of police of East and West Godavari districts had also reached the spot.

Police said soon after coming to know about the boat mishap, boat owner Mohammad Khaja of Lakshmi Venkateshwara Boat Service surrendered before the Devipatnam police.

Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu instructed the author- ities concerned to immediately rush to the spot and help with the rescue operations. He also asked them to extend all possible assistance to the victims. Rampachodavaram MLA Vantala Rajeshwari also reached the mishap site to oversee the rescue work.

Last Friday, 90 tourists had a miraculous escape when a private boat caught fire in the middle of the Godavari river at Veerapulanka in East Godavari when they were going to Papikondalu, a famous tourist spot.