Thirteen children die after a boat capsizes in the Ganges in India's Bihar state
The boat was carrying between 15 and 20 children when it overturned on Tuesday evening, 13 October, near Vaishali in Bihar. Thirteen bodies had been recovered by Wednesday, and the search for others is still under way.
The capsizing and recovery
On Tuesday evening, 13 October, a boat carrying between 15 and 20 children overturned on the Ganges river near Vaishali, a district in Bihar state in northern India. Divers and local rescuers recovered 13 bodies from the water by Wednesday, 14 October. District head Varsha Singh said all 13 dead were 15 years old or younger. The children were reportedly heading to a party or a festival, and accounts differ on which. Officials have not yet established how the boat came to overturn.
Survivors and the search
Seven people were rescued alive, according to figures reported by Europa Press and NOS, while a police spokesman named Subodh Kumar told Reuters that six people had been saved. The reported totals differ, and the exact number of people on board has not been confirmed by officials. The Times of India, as cited by NOS, said three or four people were still missing. Singh said the rescued people were stable and had been taken to hospital. Rescue operations continue in the area with the help of local residents.
Local residents and the response
NOS reported that people living near the river rushed to help before the emergency services reached the site. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on social media that the incident was profoundly painful and said his thoughts were with the grieving families. He also announced compensation for the families of the victims and prayed for a swift recovery for those injured. Modi's statement was issued during a day of continued search efforts in the area.
Open questions
No official cause for the capsizing has been established. A post on X by a user named Nikita Sareen, quoted by the Greek outlet SKAI, said the boat had split apart. That claim circulated on social media and has not been confirmed by officials. The exact number of passengers and the number of people still missing also remain unclear, so the toll could still change as the search continues.