A Delhi family’s sightseeing trip after attending a housewarming ceremony in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur turned into tragedy after their tourist boat capsized in Bargi reservoir on the Narmada river, their relatives said on Monday.
The tourist boat, carrying 40 passengers and operated by the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department, was hit by strong winds and waves and capsized on Thursday evening (April 30).
Three members of a family of six, Merina, 39, her four-year-old son Trishan, also known as Jahan, and her mother Madhur Masi, 62, died in the accident. Merina’s sister Teresa Chauhan, 36, recounted the last video call she had with her at around 5.30pm – her hair blowing in the wind, as she smiled, turning the camera to show the cruise boat. However, her sister said her next call at 6.07pm “was hysterical”.
“She was screaming and crying, saying they were drowning,” Teresa said. “She asked me to pray for them. She kept saying, ‘Save us, save us,’ and then the call went out.” Teresa said she tried to call back several times, but no one returned her calls. Teresa also said that she noticed in the video call she made with her sister before the accident that no one was wearing life jackets. “…No one was wearing life jackets, which was shocking to me, but I didn’t say anything because she seemed so happy when she showed me the sights,” she said.
Read also | Panic, floating bodies and neglect: Survivors tell the terrifying Jabalpur boat tragedy
“I lost everything in this tragedy”
Mirena’s husband, Pradeep, described the moments after the boat capsized. “When the gusty winds hit the ship, water rushed in. A man and I broke the lock to get life jackets. My father-in-law grabbed a tube and reached the river bank. My daughter and I wore jackets and were rescued with ropes,” Pradeep said, according to an earlier HT report.
He said the last time he saw Merina was when she was helping her son Trishan put on a life jacket. “She held him inside hers. She lost everything in this tragedy,” Pradeep said. Kuldeep, Mirena’s brother, said everyone on the first floor “rushed downstairs” as the weather changed. “The boat was shaking violently and water started entering. Then my brother-in-law Pradeep hurriedly started searching for life jackets,” the agency quoted Kuldeep as saying.
While some passengers were wearing jackets, others jumped into the water in fear, Kuldeep said. “Those who jumped were rescued by local villagers using ropes and rescue equipment. My father was among those rescued,” Kuldeep added.
