The search operation at Bargi Dam officially concluded on Sunday morning following the heartbreaking recovery of the final missing person's body. The discovery, which included the retrieval of a five-year-old boy's body earlier in the day, has brought the total death toll of the cruise boat tragedy in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district to 13, reported PTI.
Bargi Police Station House Officer (SHO) Neelesh Dohare confirmed that the body of Mayuram (5) was fished out of the water early Sunday.
The body of Kamraj (50), an employee of the Ordnance Factory in Khamaria, was recovered on Sunday, marking the final retrieval after the state-run vessel capsized during a storm on Thursday evening.
ALSO READ: Jabalpur Boat Tragedy: Death Toll Rises To Nine, Six Still Missing After Cruise Capsizes In Bargi River
Incident
The tragedy occurred on Thursday evening when a 20-year-old ageing vessel operated by the state tourism department capsized during a sudden storm, prompting a multi-day rescue effort that has now transitioned into a formal investigation.
In the multi-agency response, a massive search operation involving over 200 personnel, with approximately 20 elite divers were airlifted from Agra, and personnel from the NDRF and SDRF are working alongside local divers has reached a critical stage on Sunday morning at Bargi Dam, as per PTI.
The rescue ended after scanning a five km radius, diving to depths of 40-50 feet to locate the missing bodies.
While police have officially confirmed the identities of 41 passengers, and CCTV footage captured near the boarding point shows 43 people heading toward the vessel just before it departed on its tragic Thursday evening voyage. 28 people were saved in the immediate aftermath of the capsize.
Government Action
In the wake of the mounting death toll at Bargi Dam, the Madhya Pradesh state government took decisive action on Friday, ordering a comprehensive probe into the structural and operational failures that led to the tragedy.
The government's immediate response focused on accountability and public safety, resulting in the dismissal of three crew members who were aboard the vessel during the capsize, according to PTI.
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