LUCKNOW: At least 10 people were killed after a boat carrying a group of pilgrims from Punjab capsized at the Keshi Ghat along the River Yamuna in Mathura district on Friday, around 3.00 pm.
22 other passengers in the boat have been rescued.
As per the official sources, a group of over 30 people, who hailed from Ludhiana, had hired two boats and were travelling on the River Yamuna.
PM Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed deep grief over the tragedy in Mathura.
The CM directed the officials concerned to accelerate rescue efforts, ensure the best medical treatment for the injured, and ensure prompt assistance to the affected families.
DIG Agra Range Shailesh Pandey confirmed over 10 deaths in the boat tragedy.
Mathura District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh told the mediapersons that most of the tourists were rescued.
Sharing the details with mediapersons at the site of the incident, DIG Shailesh Kumar Pandey said that the boat capsized at the site where a pontoon bridge was located.
“The prima facie cause of the collision, based on accounts provided by witnesses so far, appears to be that the boat crashed into the pontoon bridge, leading to the accident. Teams from the Fire Services and the Police, along with local divers and boatmen, are all actively engaged in relief and rescue operations here,” said the DIG.
"Teams from the NDRF and SDRF have also departed from their respective bases and are expected to arrive at the scene very shortly. A search is currently underway for all individuals who remain missing...," the DIG added.
According to the police authorities, 22 individuals were rescued and shifted to hospitals, but an investigation is underway to determine how many of them are safe.
Mathura SP (Rural) Suresh Chandra Rawat said that those rescued were immediately transported to the hospital via ambulances and eight PRV (Police Response Vehicle) units.
“The pontoon bridge was in a state of disrepair. An agency was conducting maintenance work on the pontoons. It is suspected that the accident likely occurred in connection with this ongoing repair work," the SP said.
"A team of NDRF has left Ghaziabad and is expected to arrive in Vrindavan shortly," the DM said.
Divers available in Mathura and Vrindavan have already been pressed into action.
Hospitals in Mathura and Vrindavan have been placed on alert, and those rescued are sent to the Ram Krishna hospital in Vrindavan.
As per the eyewitness's account, the boat began to sway midstream violently due to gusty winds, its speed increased, and it collided with a pontoon bridge, causing it to overturn.
Police and local administration are jointly conducting the rescue operation, with divers searching the deeper sections of the river for missing persons.
Senior officials, including the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police, are on the spot to monitor the situation.