RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Several survivors of Godavari boat tragedy are still in a shock and thanking heavens for saving them from meeting a watery grave. “If we were not rescued by the people of Katchuluru, who came in a boat, we should not have survived. It happened suddenly. The boat tilted to one side and overturned. We managed to swim out of the boat and got rescued,” said Gorre Prabhakar, one of the survivors. He came along with 14 people from Warangal in Telangana.
In all, 21 people were rescued by the villagers of Katchuluru soon after the boat capsize and they were rushed to government hospital in Rampachodavaram. D Suresh, one of the survivors hailing from Warangal, said, “It happened all of a sudden and I tried to save another by grabbing hold of a lifejacket floating on the water. I do not know what happened and how I got rescued. But, to those who saved me, I am very grateful.”
The survivors said all the boat passengers were not wearing lifejackets at the time of the mishap.
Janakiramaiah from Uppal in Hyderabad, who came along with his wife, brother-in-law, sister-in-law and nephew for the tour, said he is the only survivor in his group so far. He said the mishap happened around 1:20 pm. The boat tilted to one side and everyone fell in the water. “I was rescued by some people who came in a boat and do not know what happened to others,” he said, expressing his concern about the safety of his wife and relatives.
Dasarath from Warangal said he knew swimming and came to surface when the boat capsized in the river. “Several passengers were not wearing lifejackets. Hope all of them are safe,” he prayed.
G Subrahmanyam from Hanuman Junction in Krishna district said he and four others came to the tour and whereabouts of two of his companions are not known. “I hope they are safe,” he said.
Subramanymam’s friend, not revealing his name, said for the trip they paid `1,100 per head. “They provided breakfast and announced lunch just before the accident. After the mishap, no one representing the tour operator came to enquire about us,” he said.
Doctors treating the survivors said most of them are stable, except one, who lost his family members in the tragedy. There are two fracture cases and all the survivors will be shifted to Rajamahendravaram for better medical treatment. It will also be convenient for their family members and relatives to contact them at the earliest, the doctors said.
Following are some of the passengers who were travelling in Royal Vashishta, which capsized in Godavari at Katchuluru in East Godavari district
Passengers from Warangal: Baske Dasaratham, Sivvi Venkatayya, Baske Prasad, Baske Avinash, Darsanala Suresh, Suneel, Arepalli Yadagiri, Gorre Rajendar, Konduri Rajkumar, Kommala Ravi, Gorre Prabhakar, Baske Dharmaraju, Baske Rajendar and Baske Venkataswamy
Passengers from other places: