In a tragic incident on the Narmada River near Madhya Pradesh’s Bargi Dam, a cruise boat overturned on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of a mother and her four-year-old son from a family of tourists visiting from Delhi.
Rescue teams recovered the bodies of the mother and child on Friday morning. According to reports, the mother was found holding her son tightly to her chest in a final effort to protect him, with both strapped into the same life jacket.
The family of four was among the passengers on the ill-fated vessel. While the mother and son perished, the father and daughter managed to survive the accident. The capsizing has so far claimed nine lives in total.
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One survivor, Syed Riyaz Hussain, recounted the horrifying moment when strong winds and a sudden storm struck, causing the boat to lose balance and rapidly take on water. He described how his wife, mother-in-law, and grandson vanished from sight almost instantly amid the chaos of screams and cries for help. Hussain himself was trapped underwater for nearly two hours, with only his head above the surface, witnessing bodies floating nearby before rescue teams spotted and saved him, an event he called a miracle. His family members remain among those still missing.
The boat’s captain, Mahesh Patel, who was wearing a life jacket, also survived the ordeal.
As of Friday morning, authorities had rescued 24 people. Of these, 17 were hospitalised, while nine others—including five children—continued to be listed as missing.
Intensive search operations are underway, involving local police, district administration officials, and the State Disaster Response Force, who are working around the clock to locate and rescue the remaining missing individuals.
The incident has highlighted the sudden and severe impact of adverse weather on the river, turning what was meant to be a leisurely cruise into a devastating tragedy for multiple families.
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