The death toll from the tragic cruise accident at Bargi Dam in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur district has climbed to nine, with three more bodies recovered on Friday. Rescue teams are intensively searching for four missing passengers, including children. Authorities have rescued 28 people safely after the tourist cruise capsized in the backwaters of the Narmada River reservoir on Thursday evening.
Authorities suspect that the actual number of passengers on board might have been higher than recorded. Although tickets were issued for 29 passengers, between 43 and 47 tourists are believed to have been aboard during the incident. The accident occurred around 5:00 p.m. when the Tourism Department-operated cruise, sailing near the Bargi Dam reservoir in Jabalpur, was caught in a sudden and severe storm with strong winds. The vessel lost balance, drifted nearly 300 meters from the shore, and sank.
Initial rescue efforts were promptly initiated by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) after the accident. Despite saving several passengers before nightfall, deteriorating weather conditions and poor visibility led to the suspension of operations late Thursday night. Search and rescue operations resumed early Friday morning with increased manpower and coordination among multiple agencies.
Among the bodies recovered on Friday morning were those of a mother and her four-year-old son, causing deep distress among rescue personnel and relatives. The family, who had traveled from Delhi for a vacation, faced tragedy as the father and daughter survived while the mother and child did not. Security and rescue forces, including the Army and SDRF teams, are heavily deployed at the site. A helicopter from Hyderabad and a specialized paramilitary team from Kolkata are aiding in the operation.
Jabalpur CSP Anjul Mishra mentioned that the cruise became uncontrollable during the sudden storm. Cruise pilot Mahesh, with over a decade of experience, stated that the vessel had no time to respond once the storm intensified. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident and is expected to visit Jabalpur to oversee the ongoing rescue operations. Search efforts will persist until all missing passengers are located.
