The death toll in Sunday's boat capsize in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district rose to 19 as three more bodies were recovered from Krishna river on Monday, police said.
State disaster response and fire services department's director general N. Satyanarayana said while two bodies were recovered by teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), another was fished out by personnel of his department.
"There is suspicion that four more persons are missing. We are pressing scuba divers into service to trace the missing persons. Since there is lot of water movement because rescue teams are at work, the bodies, if any, could have floated away. We have intensified the operation," Satyanarayana said.
The overloaded boat of a private operator carrying 42 tourists capsized near Ibrahimpatnam Ferry Ghat near Vijayawada on Sunday evening.
The tourists, majority of them hailing from Ongole town, were coming from Bhavani Island to Pavitra Sangamam, or holy confluence of Krishna and Godavari rivers to witness 'Maha haarathi' ritual on the last Sunday of the auspicious month of 'Karthika'.
Local fishermen and rescue workers saved 21 people.
Krishna district collector B. Lakshmikantham said four of them were still undergoing treatment in a hospital.
Deputy Chief Minister N. Chinnarajappa, who rushed to the site along with some other cabinet colleagues on Sunday night, supervised the rescue and relief operations.
Chinnarajappa said 32 members of the Ongole Walkers' Club were among those on board. He announced Rs 8 lakh compensation each to the families of the deceased.
Overload is believed to be the cause of the accident, he said, adding that the private company also did not have permission to operate the boat.
Survivors said they boarded the private boat as the boats of the tourism department were not available. They also complained that there were no life jackets on the boat.
The collector said a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder was booked against the company operating the boat.
One of the crew members has been arrested while three others were absconding.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will visit the ferry ghat on Monday. He will also call on the injured.
PM condoles the tragedy
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid condolence to families who lost their loved ones in the Andhra Pradesh boat capsise incident.
The Prime Minister's Office posted on the micro-blogging incident: "Capsizing of a boat in the Krishna River is anguishing. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives in this tragedy. Andhra Pradesh Government and @NDRFHQ have been working on rescue operations: PM @narendramodi"
My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones in the tragic earthquake that has affected parts of Iran and Iraq. I pray that those injured recover at the earliest: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 13, 2017
