Patna: At least 21 people are presumed dead due to drowning and many are missing after a boat carrying 40 people capsized near the banks of Ganga in Patna on Saturday, police said.

The incident took place around 6pm, when the boat was returning from a kite flying festival that was organised in an island in the middle of the river as part of Makar Sankranti celebration, rescue officials added.

Some of the passengers were able to swim to safety but many continue to be missing, the officials said.

NDRF has been rushed to the spot and rescue operations are on in full swing.

A boat carrying 40 people capsizes in river Ganga in Patna (Bihar). Rescue operations underway. pic.twitter.com/HfyKQ6jiUm — ANI (@ANI_news) January 14, 2017

According to sources, it was a small boat which was overloaded with people.

The boat was about to reach the bank when it capsized.

Rescue operations are on to trace the missing passengers.

Six of the eight people rescued were pulled out from the river by the National Disaster Response Force.

One of the survivors has claimed that over 100 people were on the boat and all of a sudden the water started entering the boat leading to an inundation.

Patna district magistrate Sanjay Agarwal and district police officials are camping at the site.

Reacting to the incident Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief and asked the officials to fasten the rescue operations. He spoke to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari over phone and requested him to cancel Mahatma Gandhi Setu rehabilitation foundation stone laying program which was scheduled to be held on Sunday. RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has also cancelled 'Dahi-Chura' feast for minorities due to the tragedy.

Patna's DIG Shaleen said, "It's a sad incident ...the rescue operations are on and 20 dead bodies have been recovered from the Ganga. It is possible that few more dead bodies will be recovered as the operations are still on.

ADG (law and order) Alok Raj said, "The overcrowded boat capsized as it lost its balance. No Individual was found trapped inside the boat. Rescue teams are doing their job and death toll may rise."

Principal Secretary, Disaster Management department Pratyay Amrit, said, "A huge crowd had assembled at an illegal entertainment park and they were coming back in boats. We have finished with rescue operations for tonight. Rescue operations will resume at 7 am on Sunday.

PM expressed grief on the loss of lives caused by the boat tragedy in Bihar. He extended condolences to the bereaved families. — PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 14, 2017

Shocked to hear about the boat capsizing in Bihar. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased. — Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) January 14, 2017

Bihar BJP leader Sushil Modi too expressed sadness over the incident.

Most unfortunate that many people drowned in Ganga on Makar Sankranti . — Sushil Kumar Modi (@SushilModi) January 14, 2017

ALSO READ: Engine of The Boat Exploded...It Sank Like Titanic: Eyewitness Recounts Horror

Get the best of News18 delivered to your inbox - subscribe to News18 Daybreak. Follow News18.com on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and on YouTube, and stay in the know with what's happening in the world around you – in real time.</s>Patna: At least 21 people are presumed dead due to drowning and many are missing after a boat carrying 40 people capsized near the banks of Ganga in Patna on Saturday, police said.

The incident took place around 6pm, when the boat was returning from a kite flying festival that was organised in an island in the middle of the river as part of Makar Sankranti celebration, rescue officials added.

Some of the passengers were able to swim to safety but many continue to be missing, the officials said.

NDRF has been rushed to the spot and rescue operations are on in full swing.

According to sources, it was a small boat which was overloaded with people.

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The boat was about to reach the bank when it capsized.

Rescue operations are on to trace the missing passengers.

Six of the eight people rescued were pulled out from the river by the National Disaster Response Force.

One of the survivors has claimed that over 100 people were on the boat and all of a sudden the water started entering the boat leading to an inundation.

Patna district magistrate Sanjay Agarwal and district police officials are camping at the site.

Reacting to the incident Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief and asked the officials to fasten the rescue operations. He spoke to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari over phone and requested him to cancel Mahatma Gandhi Setu rehabilitation foundation stone laying program which was scheduled to be held on Sunday. RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has also cancelled 'Dahi-Chura' feast for minorities due to the tragedy.

Patna's DIG Shaleen said, "It's a sad incident ...the rescue operations are on and 20 dead bodies have been recovered from the Ganga. It is possible that few more dead bodies will be recovered as the operations are still on.

ADG (law and order) Alok Raj said, "The overcrowded boat capsized as it lost its balance. No Individual was found trapped inside the boat. Rescue teams are doing their job and death toll may rise."

Principal Secretary, Disaster Management department Pratyay Amrit, said, "A huge crowd had assembled at an illegal entertainment park and they were coming back in boats. We have finished with rescue operations for tonight. Rescue operations will resume at 7 am on Sunday.

Bihar BJP leader Sushil Modi too expressed sadness over the incident.

ALSO READ: Engine of The Boat Exploded...It Sank Like Titanic: Eyewitness Recounts Horror</s>PATNA, India -- At least 21 people drowned and a dozen others were missing after their overcrowded boat capsized in a river in eastern India, police said Sunday.

Nearly 50 people were returning by boat after attending a Hindu religious festival in a village across the river near Patna, the state capital of Bihar, when it capsized on Saturday, said police officer Chandan Kushwaha.

He said 13 people have been rescued and hospitalized.

The capsized boat was retrieved by rescue workers on Sunday and they were continuing to search for more survivors. So far, 21 bodies have been recovered from the river, Kushwaha said.

Police said the boat could carry up to 25 passengers, but it was overcrowded because people were returning to Patna after attending the Hindu festival, which was organized by the state government.</s>17 people have been killed after a boat carrying 40 overturned in the River Ganga in Patna</s>Patna (Bihar): 17 people were killed after a boat turned turtle in Ganga river in Patna, Bihar on Saturday.

According to reports, the accident took place when the boat, carrying at least 34 people, was about to reach the river bank.

The boat was returning from a kite festival on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.

Meanwhile, the state police have launched a search operation for the missing people.</s>PATNA, India -- At least 17 people drowned and 10 others were missing after their overcrowded boat capsized in a river in eastern India on Saturday, police said.

Police officer Chandan Kushwaha said the incident took place as 40 people were returning by the boat after attending a Hindu religious festival in a village across the river near Patna, the state capital of Bihar.

Kushwaha said 13 people have been rescued and hospitalized.

Rescuers are continuing to search for more survivors. They have so far recovered 17 bodies from the river, Kushwaha said.

Police say the boat could carry up to 25 passengers, but it was overcrowded because people were returning to Patna after attending the Hindu festival, which was organized by the state government.

The state government has ordered an inquiry into the accident.

Boat accidents are common in India, with life jackets usually not provided to those on board in remote areas.</s>At least 19 people die after boat accident in the Ganges River in India's eastern state of Bihar, police say.

At least 19 people have died in India's eastern state of Bihar after a boat sank in the Ganges River, according to police.

The reported 40 passengers on board were returning on Saturday from watching a kite-flying celebration to mark Makar Sankranti, a religious festival that is believed to carry the arrival of spring.

"Rescue operations are on to find those still missing," Manu Maharaj, senior police officer, said.

"We can confirm that 19 people have died."

Chandrashekhar, the state disaster management minister, told Reuters news agency the boat was overcrowded and only had an initial capacity of transporting up to 30 people.

The vessel did not make it far from the boat station in the state capital, Patna, when it tipped over and began to sink further into the water, close to the annual festival's site.

Chandrashekhar said an estimated 10 to 12 people managed to swim back to shore.

The minister added that eight were rescued from the river and have been admitted to a hospital for medical treatment.

"We believe a minimum of four to five (more) bodies may be in the river," he said.

However, an exact figure of missing victims could not be ascertained.

Local TV footage showed emergency workers searching for possible survivors underwater, while families waited for a verdict on shore. Search missions were reportedly overseen by senior officials, who camped at the site of the accident.

Boat accidents are common in India, due to the overcrowding, poor maintenance and lack of safety equipment.

About 20 people lost their lives when a ferry capsized in a rain-swollen river in India's northeastern state of Assam in September 2015. Similarly, more than 100 people died in Assam after a boat sank in the Brahmaputra River during a heavy storm in 2012.</s>At least 17 people were killed after a boat turned turtle in the Ganges River in Patna, on Saturday, whereas eight people were rescued and 25 others swam to safety.

According to reports, the accident took place when the boat, carrying at least 34 people, was about to reach the river bank.

The boat was returning from a kite festival on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.

Meanwhile, the state police have launched a search operation for the missing people.</s>PATNA, India - Police say at least 11 people drowned and 15 others are missing after their overcrowded boat capsized in a river in eastern India.

 

Police officer Chandan Kushwaha says the incident took place Saturday as 40 people were returning by the boat after attending a Hindu religious festival in a village across the river near Patna, the state capital of Bihar.

 

Kushwaha says 13 people have been rescued and hospitalized. Rescuers are continuing to search for more survivors.

 

Police say the boat could carry up to 25 passengers, but that it was overcrowded because people were returning to Patna after attending the Hindu festival, which was organized by the state government.

 

Boat accidents are common in India, with life jackets usually not provided to those on board in remote areas.</s>Patna: In a tragic incident, at least nineteen people lost their lives due to drowning and many are said to be missing after a boat carrying almost 40 passengers capsized in the river Ganga in Patna on Saturday.

According to a media report, more than 40 people were on board when the boat capsized at NIT ghat in Patna.

The boat was returning from a kite flying festival that was organised in an island in the middle of the river as part of Makar Sankranti celebration, officials added.

While most of the passengers were able to swim to safety and reached the shore, at least six are still said to be missing.

"While eight people have so far been rescued by the NDRF team, at least 25 passengers managed to swim to safety," an ANI report said earlier.

According to sources, it was a small boat and was overloaded with people, which led to its capsizing. The boat was about to reach the bank when the incident took place.

Meanwhile, all senior officials along with local swimmers have reached the site and NDRF team has launched a major rescue operation in the river to trace on the missing people.
At least 21 people drown in a boat accident in the Ganges River in Patna, India.