Several people feared dead after tourist ferry capsizes in Andhra

A tourist ferry capsized near the Pavithra Sangamam in Ibrahimpatnam on Sunday. Sixteen people have drowned in the incident.

The incident occurred while the ferry was going from Bhavani Island to the Pavithra Sangamam, on the Krishna River in Ibrahimpatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

According to local media reports, there were an estimated 30 to 40 tourists on board at the time of the incident, and almost all of them were members of the Ongole Walkers Club. Eleven people have been rescued, and the whereabouts of the others is not known. The death toll may increase. Eight of the deceased were from Ongole.

Addressing the media, the police said that rescue operations were on by the Vijayawada City Police and the National Disaster Rescue Force. All thirteen deceased have been identified.

According to the AP State Disaster Management Authority, there are two NDRF teams with 30 members each, 45 members of the State Disaster Rescue Force and 12 rescue boats currently working on the rescue operation.

AP Tourism Corporation Chairman Vijaya Ramireddy is presently at the spot.

According to The Times of India, the boat capsized because it was overloaded. When the buoyancy of water changed at the Pavithra Sangamam, it led to imbalance.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed his grief over the incident, and asked the District Collector and police authorities to take the necessary action. YSR Congress Party President YS Jaganmohan Reddy also expressed his grief, and said that the official machinery should speed up the rescue operation.

The service, which was launched just last month, was for tourists who were interested in spiritual and eco-tourism. An hour-long ride, it starts on the banks of the Krishna River at Durga Ghat, and allowed people to go up to the Pavithra Sangam.

Located 20 km from Vijayawada, Ibrahimpatnam is known for the Pavithra Sangamam, which is where the Godavari and Krishna rivers meet.