VIJAYAWADA BOAT TRAGEDY TOLL HITS 21
HYDERABAD: The boat that capsized in the Krishna river, killing 21 passengers near Ibrahimpatnam on the outskirts of Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday evening, was on its maiden voyage in the river without obtaining any permission from authorities.
“The boat, belonging to a private agency River Boating Adventure Company, was a new one that entered the waters only on Sunday. It made a couple of trial runs in the river in the morning. It got permission neither from the irrigation nor the tourism department.We have ordered an inquiry as to how they carried passengers,” Andhra Pradesh tourism minister Bhuma Akhila Priya said on Monday.
Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu made a statement in the state assembly that there were 41 people on board, including two crew members. “As many as 20 bodies were recovered from the river and the whereabouts of another two persons were yet to be known. Three passengers are undergoing treatment in hospital and the remaining passengers who were rescued from the mishap have been sent to their native places,” he said.
One of the four passengers who were admitted to Andhra hospital in Vijayawada, K Bhoolakshmi, died on Monday evening, taking the toll to 21.
The tourism department authorities released a video clipping showing one of its officials arguing with the boat operator, stating that the latter would not be allowed to park the boat at Durga Ghat jetty as it had no per- missions. “For god’s sake, please vacate this jetty and get permission from authorities,” the official was heard saying.
However, the operator took it to Punnami Ghat side where 39 passengers had boarded the boat to go to Pavitra Sangamam at Ibrahimpatnam to witness Maha Harathi on the occasion of Karthika Masam. “The driver who operated the boat had no prior experience of operating it in the Krishna and did not even have the route map. There were no lifejackets but the driver convinced people to take the trip, saying he will bring them back safely,” the tourism minister said.
Naidu said a criminal case of negligence had been registered against five persons, including Kondal Rao on whose name the private agency was registered, and his associate Gedela Srinu, who operated the boat. They were taken into custody and were being interrogated, he said.