THEKKADY: Three more bodies of the victims in the Thekkady boat tragedy which occurred on Wednesday were recovered on Saturday, taking the death toll to 44.
The body of one victim is still missing.
Though there were suspicions that two more persons hailing from Mysore might have found place in the list of victims, it was found wrong.
The body of Aiswarya, aged five, was recovered while it was floating at a spot about 150 metres down from the mishap site. Her mother Senthilkumari’s body was retrieved an hour later from the mishap site itself. Senthilkumari’s husband, Ramaswami Rajasekharan had also died in the mishap. His body was retrieved on Thursday morning itself.
The Naval divers spotted the rising body of Apoorva, 15, from the waters around 11 am.
The body of her brother Abhilash, 19, is yet to be retrieved, even as operation is still going on. Both of them are the children of DRDO senior scientist M H Sinnur and Malathi. Idukki MP P T Thomas, District Collector Ashok Kumar Singh and other officials were present throughout the day at the mishap site, overseeing the retrieval operations.
Ashok Kumar Singh told Express that barring the one body which was yet to be found, there is no likelihood of more casualties.
A chopper of the Navy landed near the mishap site on Saturday morning with food and other essential items for the divers, numbering 24.
The group was on a daunting task since Wednesday night at the mishap site against heavy odds such as heavy winds and torrential rains.
Crime Branch begins probe A Crime Branch team headed by Kottayam SP P A Valsan arrived at the spot to initiate a probe. The wing has taken over the investigation from the local police.