Saddened at the loss of lives in Godavari boat tragedy: Mamata

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday expressed her condolences at the loss of lives in the Godavari boat tragedy in Andhra Pradesh.

“Saddened at the loss of lives in the Godavari boat tragedy in Andhra Pradesh. My condolences to the families of the deceased. My prayers that the missing passengers are rescued,” she tweeted.

In a major tragedy, 11 people died on Sunday afternoon when a tourist boat carrying 61 persons on board capsized in the Godavari River near Devipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) said.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has announced Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia for bereaved families.

According to an official statement, Reddy has directed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Navy and ONGC helicopters to carry out the rescue operations on a war-footing.

The Chief Minister has also asked for a complete report on the incident.