Hirakud Boat Accident Update: 2 Dead, 6 Missing; CM Announces Rs 4 Lakh Assistance
A tragic boat accident happened in Sarada village in the Lakhanpur block of Jharsuguda district. Around 3:30 p.m., a boat carrying passengers across the river capsized. Local fishermen quickly responded and rescued approximately 40 individuals from the sinking ferry boat.
However, the situation was dire, since two individuals, including a woman, died in the tragedy. Furthermore, indications indicate that around six more people are still missing and unaccounted for. After hearing the news, the District Collector and Superintendent of Police raced to the accident site to assess the situation. Meanwhile, a fire department team came and began rescue efforts.
The Chief Minister immediately dispatched five scuba divers and two search cameras by air to assist with the ongoing rescue attempts. Furthermore, the Chief Minister said that assistance of Rs 4 lakh would be granted to the deceased’s families as financial support during this terrible time.
According to available information, a family from Kharsian in the Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh, along with relatives from Katarlia in Chakardharnagar Thane, went to the Pathasheni Devi Peeth in Banjipali on the other side of the river. A total of 45 people from Kharsian and Katarlia made the pilgrimage on the auspicious occasion of Chaitra Shukla 11th Tithi, with one family member promising to give the Boda Sacrifice at the Peeth.
Tragically, on their return journey in the afternoon, the overcrowded boat they were riding in developed a hole, sinking about 1 kilometer from Sarada. Survivors said the boat was overcrowded, which led to the terrible outcome. While local fishermen from Remata and Sarada immediately began rescue attempts and saved 40 lives, the deaths of two people and the unknown fate of six others threw a cloud over the entire village.
