Odisha: Nine, including seven children, die after boat capsizes in Kendrapara district

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday announced ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to next of kin of deceased and free medical treatment to the injured. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and former Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda conveyed their condolences.

There are calls to probe the accident, even after the government promised to enforce safety measures on tourist boats in the aftermath of the June accident.

On Thursday, the boat was carrying around 55 people when its maximum capacity was around 25. Rescue operations to retreive the dead and the survivors was hampered due to poor visibility at sunset and foggy conditions as the operation ran late into the night.

“We thank Indian Coast Guards, ODRAF and others who joined in rescue operations in the crocodile infested waters,” said Odisha’s Special Relief Commissioner Bishnupada Sethi.

Panda took to Twitter to express his condolences: “After every such tragedy (thr’ve been many), the state govt announces it will strictly enforce rules banning boats’ overloading & requiring life vests / inflatable tubes on board, but does not.”

R.I.P🙏
Woke to awful news of 9 deaths from a boat capsizing in my Kendrapada, Odisha.
After every such tragedy (thr’ve been many), the state govt announces it will strictly enforce rules banning boats’ overloading & requiring life vests / inflatable tubes on board, but does not. https://t.co/J3QkgUrwWn

— Baijayant Jay Panda (@PandaJay) January 3, 2019

“There will be a probe on the circumstances causing the accident and whether the boat in question was registered,” said state Transport Minister Nrusingha Sahoo.