Vrindavan Boat Capsize Accident: A tragic incident occurred in Vrindavan on Friday when a motorboat carrying devotees capsized in the Yamuna River , leading to the death of ten people from Punjab .
Boat Accident Near Keshi Ghat: Vessel Hits Pontoon Bridge and Sinks
Eyewitnesses reported that the boat collided with a pontoon bridge before overturning. It quickly sank into deep waters near Keshi Ghat, leaving passengers struggling to survive. Many of the devotees did not know how to swim, which increased the death toll.
Vrindavan Boat Tragedy: 25 Devotees on Board, 15 Rescued by Locals
There were 25 people on the boat at the time of the accident. Out of them, 15 were rescued by local boatmen and residents living along the riverbank. The group was part of 30 devotees from Ludhiana. Five members of the group were not on the boat and remained safe.
Vrindavan Boat Accident: Injured Shifted to Hospital, Officials Confirm
Shailesh Kumar Pandey, deputy inspector-general of the region, said, "Some people who were rescued have been admitted to a government hospital." The injured are currently receiving treatment.
Vrindavan Boat Accident: What Happened at the Site?
The tragic incident took place in Vrindavan when a motorboat carrying devotees lost control in the Yamuna River. According to eyewitnesses, the boat first hit a pontoon bridge and then overturned suddenly. Within moments, it sank into deep water near Keshi Ghat.
There were 25 devotees on board, many of whom did not know how to swim. As the boat capsized, panic spread quickly. Local boatmen and residents living along the riverbank rushed to help and managed to rescue 15 people.
Eyewitnesses said strong gusty winds made it difficult for the boatman to control the vessel. They also claimed that such boats are usually not allowed to operate when wind speeds are high. However, the boat reportedly continued its journey, possibly due to lack of strict monitoring at the site.
An eyewitness blamed strong winds for the accident, stating, "The wind was gusty in the afternoon and the boatman couldn't control the vessel. Usually, no sailing permission is given to boats in this river when the wind speed is high. Controlling a boat's direction is very difficult in such a situation. The boatman agreed perhaps because there were no river police or city police to stop him."
As videos of the incident go viral on social media, serious concerns have been raised about safety violations. Reports suggest the boat was overcrowded, despite guidelines allowing fewer passengers. Several people were reportedly on board without life jackets, and some were standing without following basic safety rules. These lapses may have contributed to the accident and increased the risk during the incident.
It is also reported that authorities had recently banned hand-rowed boats, raising further questions about enforcement.
Vrindavan Boat Accident: Rescue Operation Underway, Probe Ordered by Administration
Rescue teams reached the spot soon after and began search operations to ensure no one was left behind. Some of the rescued devotees were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Mathura district magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh said, "The rescue teams are still there and the search operation is on to check whether anybody is left behind. An inquiry will reveal the reason behind the accident."
In Mathura, SP Rural Suresh Chandra Rawat said that rescue operations began immediately after the incident and multiple teams were deployed at the site. "All the teams have been deployed here since yesterday… We sent 8 PRBs, our fire rescue team and ambulances reached there. Everyone was rescued. A total of 32 people were rescued, of whom 10 died, and 22 are safe. The boat was recovered late at night. 8 NDRF teams, 5 SDRF teams and 3 PAC teams are deployed. Almost 120 private divers have been deployed, and we have searched the operation area of 14 kms…", he stated, highlighting the large-scale effort carried out to manage the situation.
Rescue teams continue to search the area, while officials have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the mishap