Andhra Pradesh: Several feared dead as tourist boat capsizes in Godavari

Amaravati: Several people were feared drowned when a tourist boat capsized in the swollen Godavari river in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh on Sunday afternoon while over 10 passengers were said to have been rescued, police sources said.

The exact details of the mishap and the number of persons in the ill-fated boat were not immediately available.

The river has been in spate for the past few days and over 5.13 lakh cusecs of floodwater was flowing on Sunday afternoon when the mishap occurred.

“We are trying to ascertain the details,” East Godavari District Superintendent of Police Adnan Nayeem Asmi told PTI.

Sources said there were about 60 people, including 11 crew members, in the boat run by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation.

The boat started off for the picturesque Papikondalu, a prime tourist destination, from Gandi Pochamma Temple near Devipatnam and it capsized near Kachhuluru, the sources said.

State Chief Secretary L V Subrahmanyam spoke to East Godavari District Collector Muralidhar Reddy and enquired about the incident.

The Chief Secretary directed that a helicopter be pressed into service to trace the boat mishap victims.

Police and other rescue teams have started off from East and West Godavari districts for the accident spot, but it could take some time for them to reach there because of the swollen state of the river, official sources said.