Another Indian Ferry Disaster

[derek s.langsdon]

Overcrowded Indian ferry boats seem to be capsizing and sinking with heavy loss of life all too often these days. Yet another Monday on the Brahmaputra River in a remote district 215 miles west of Aswan's main city of Guwahati

Numbers are always conflicting as there is seldom an accurate check on who scrambles aboard at the last moment, but the BBC has 103 people lost out of a total of around 200.Other reports are of 100 rescued (out of which some died later), 60 rescued-- 60 remaining trapped in the vessel, etc--- which broke into two parts after capsizing in a violent storm. One man said he was sitting "on the roof" amongst 150 people when the storm hit, throwing most into the water.

A police officer told a Reuters reporter that the ferry carried no lifeboats nor lifejackets.

dsl

[jainso31]

And ITN carried corroboration
Rescue workers in India have been battling heavy wind and rain to search for survivors, after at least 103 people drowned on an overloaded ferry which capsized and broke in two;whilst one of the country's largest rivers.
The boat had been carrying about 300 people when it sank during the night.

It is one of the worst accidents to have hit India's northeastern region in recent times.
The ferry had been carrying mainly local farmers and their families when it tipped over in a storm on a stretch of the Brahmaputra river.
Around 100 people were rescued but there are many others missing.

Pc Saloi, an officer at the scene said: "Our rescue efforts have been hampered by bad weather, it is still raining heavily and there is almost zero visibility in the area."

jainso31