At least ten people drowned in the Yamuna River after a boat carrying a tourist group from Punjab capsized at the Keshi Ghat in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh.
Authorities have said that the 10 who drowned were a part of a 30-member tourist group from Ludhiana that had rented two boats on Friday afternoon.
DIG (Agra Range) Shailesh Pandey confirmed the ten deaths in the boat tragedy, adding that initial reports revealed that the cause of the tragedy was one of the boats crashing into a pontoon bridge at the Ghat, as per accounts from eyewitnesses in the area.
One of the eyewitnesses specified that the boat had begun to sway violently—just before the accident—due to gusty winds. its speed then reportedly increased, and it collided with a pontoon bridge, causing it to capsize
According to the Mathura district magistrate C.P. Singh, the incident took place at about 3:15 PM on Friday, and 22 of the people onboard have been rescued so far.
"A positive aspect is that many local divers in the area are actively engaged in the rescue efforts. The Chief Minister has taken immediate cognisance of the incident and directed that all injured receive proper treatment," Singh told reporters from the Keshi Ghat.
A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team has already been dispatched to Ghaziabad, and is expected to reach the scene of the tragedy soon, Singh added, noting that local divers and State Disaster Rescue Force (SDRF) personnel in the Vrindavan area were already engaged in rescue efforts.
"My condolences to those who have lost their near and dear ones," a statement from PM Narendra Modi's office read.