Amravati: 11, including 4 children, drown in Wardha river boat capsize

NAGPUR/AMRAVATI: A family outing turned tragic after a boat had capsized in Wardha river close to Zunj waterfall and Mahadev temple at the tri-junction of three districts of Amravati, Wardha and Nagpur on Tuesday killing 11 persons including four minors, five women and two gents. Three bodies have been fished out so far.
The victims have been identified as Narayanrao Matare (45), Ashwini Khandale (25), Vrushali Waghmare (19), Atulrao Waghnare (25), Vanshika Shivankar (2), Nisha Matare (22), Kiran Khandale (25), Aditi Khandale (13), Mohini Khandale (11), Piyush Matare (8) and Poonam Shivankar (26).

The Matares from Wadgaon in Warud tehsil in Amravati had their relatives visiting them from different districts, like Nagpur and Wardha, to attend the 10th day ritual of Narayanrao's nephew who had passed away this month.
Shyam Matare and Rajkumar Uikey were the two survivors of the episode who had managed to swum to safety despite a strong undercurrent of the Wardha river flowing fast due to incessant rain in the region for last few days.

Bodies of Narayanrao, Vanshika and Kiran have been fished out so far. Vanshika's mother Poonam's bodies were among the ones which are yet to be recovered. Search operations by State disaster response force (SDRF) and National disaster response force (NDRF) and local divers would resume on Wednesday too.
Narayanrao, who lost his daughters Kiran and Nisha, had offered a ride for the family members and relatives from his village Gadegaon to Zunj.
Senior inspector MH Sarkate of Benoda police station said the boat could have safely used for four or five persons. "It was the overcrowding on a small boat which had led to the tragedy. The river is also flowing fast with steady currents due to heavy rains," he said.

Local sources stated the Matare family and their relatives were clicking photos and selfie in the boat before it got capsized. "The boat was at a place in the river where it's surface is calm but the water is having currents underneath due to the waterfall in the vicinity," he said.
The residents from the villages in the vicinity of Zunj, like Haturna, were alerted by the survivors who in turn alerted the police.
Sub-divisional officer Nitin Hingole and Resident collector Nitin Vyawahare coordinated the rescue and search operations under collector Pawaneet Kaur and SP Hari Balaji.