Assam: Several Feared Dead After Boat Collides With Ferry In Brahmaputra River

Expressing grief over the incident, Assam Chief Minister said that he will visit Nimati Ghat tomorrow.

Resue teams on the spot. (Image: ANI)

Jorhat/Guwahat: Several people are feared dead after a ferry boat carrying several passengers collided with another and capsized in Brahmaputra river in Assam on Wednesday.

According to initial reports, the incident took place near Nimati ghat in Jorhat district. 

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed concern over the accident and directed the district administrations of Majuli and Jorhat to undertake the rescue mission expeditiously with the help of NDRF and SDRF.

"There were around 50 people in the boat which met with the accident, out of which 40 people have been rescued," Jorhat Additional DC Damodar Barman said. 

The rescue operations were underway.

The collision occurred when the private boat 'Ma Kamala' was headed to Majuli from Nimati Ghat and the government-owned ferry 'Tripkai' was coming from Majuli. "The boat 'Ma Kamala' capsized and then sank. We do not have much detail at this moment," an official of the Inland Water Transport (IWT) Department said.

More than 120 passengers were on board the boat, but many of them were rescued by 'Tripkai' which is owned by the department. Barman told PTI that 41 people have been rescued so far and no body has been found yet.

Personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF have started a search and rescue operation. The boat was also carrying several four-wheelers and two-wheelers that went down the river.