The search operation at Bargi Dam in Jabalpur concluded on Sunday morning following the recovery of the final two missing victims. The discovery of a five-year-old boy and his uncle brings the total death toll of the tragic cruise boat capsizing to 13.
Recovery and Rescue Details
The bodies of young Mayuram (5) and his uncle Kamraj (50)—an employee of the Khamaria Ordnance Factory—were found floating in the reservoir.
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Total Passengers: Of the 41 identified passengers on board, 28 were successfully rescued.
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Search Teams: A massive multi-agency effort was launched, featuring 20 Army divers airlifted from Agra, alongside the NDRF, SDRF, and local diving teams.
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Identification Discrepancy: While 41 passengers have been identified, CCTV footage from the boarding point showed 43 individuals heading toward the vessel, suggesting a possible discrepancy in the final count.
The Incident: Aging Vessels and Weather
The tragedy struck on Thursday evening when a sudden storm caused the cruise boat to capsize.
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Vessel Condition: The boat was approximately 20 years old and operated by the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Department.
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Government Action: In the wake of the disaster, the state government has:
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Ordered a formal high-level probe.
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Dismissed three crew members involved.
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Issued an immediate statewide ban on the operation of similar vessels.
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The recovered bodies have been sent to a government facility for postmortem as the community mourns the victims of one of the district’s worst maritime accidents in recent years.
