At least 10 people were killed and several others remain missing after a tourist boat capsised in the Yamuna River near Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura district on Friday, officials said.
The majority of the victims were pilgrims from Punjab who had travelled to Mathura and Vrindavan. According to survivors, the boat capsised after a sudden, violent impact.
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Vijay Bahl, a resident of Jagraon in Ludhiana, lost his wife and son in the accident. He recounted that the group was forced to change boats mid-river because of a mechanical issue.
The victim speaks out on the accident
The victim, Vijay Bahl, described how quickly the situation spiralled out of control: “In seconds, the bridge struck our boat like a storm. It overturned, and we were thrown into the water," he was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
Officials think the accident may have been caused by leftover parts of an old floating bridge that had been taken apart. Even though the bridge was removed because the water level had risen, some large drums from the bridge were still underwater. An official said the boat is likely to have hit one of those hidden drums, which made it lose its balance and flip over.
The official added, “It is believed the collision with one of these submerged objects caused the boat to lose balance and overturn."
What happened in the spot?
Officials say the accident happened around 3 pm near Keshi Ghat when a boat carrying about 30 passengers tipped after hitting a floating pontoon drum.
Per Hindustan Times, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Agra Range, Shailesh Pandey, stated, "A group of nearly 30 tourists from Ludhiana had rented two boats at Keshi Ghat. On the surface, it seems one of the boats lost balance after striking a pontoon in the river. However, the exact cause will only be confirmed after a thorough investigation."
Family recalls last moments
Relatives of the victims said their family members had been in high spirits shortly before the tragedy. A relative shared with the news agency PTI, “I had a telephonic conversation with my family member, and they were happy upon reaching there.”
“Someone from the family called us and told us that their boat had capsised. We were not able to reach out to them. 8-10 people went there from our area,” they added.
Per PTI, another family member was quoted as saying, “Yesterday they left for Mathura, Vrindavan. Around 2.30 pm, they uploaded a video expressing their happiness. My family members are among those affected by the incident."
Rescue operation in progress
A large-scale rescue operation is ongoing, with more than 100 personnel from the NDRF, SDRF, local police and Fire department deployed at the site. The army station in Mathura has also been roped in to assist.
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So far, more than 15 people have been rescued and transported to Ram Krishna Mission Hospital, as search operations continue for those still unaccounted for. Per HT, DIG Pandey stated, "Divers have been deployed. Teams from the fire department, police, and local administration are on-site with boats, searching for the missing individuals."
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have all expressed their condolences for the lives lost. The Prime Minister also announced financial assistance from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund: Rs 2 lakh each for the families of those who died and Rs 50,000 each for the injured.
The victim said he had spoken with the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and was assured support. “I spoke with Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Ji; every possible assistance will be provided to the victims. I am in contact with the Uttar Pradesh government,” he said in a post on X.
