Overview
- The state-run tourist cruise capsized after a sudden storm Thursday evening near Khamaria Island on the Bargi Dam reservoir in Jabalpur.
- Officials report at least nine dead and about 28 rescued, with several still missing as Army, NDRF and SDRF teams continue water and underwater searches using divers and heavy cranes.
- Survivors say life jackets were handed out only after water entered the boat, and CCTV near the jetty suggests more people boarded than the 29 tickets recorded, raising concerns about overloading.
- The Madhya Pradesh government launched an investigation, halted similar boat operations, announced ex gratia payments from the state and the Prime Minister’s relief fund, and removed some crew pending inquiries.
- Divers describe hazardous conditions inside the sunken vessel and recovered victims including a mother and child, while videos from before the capsize show passengers without life jackets, intensifying scrutiny of safety practices.