Boat capsizes tragedy: Dead toll increases to 8, 17 people rescued

Bengaluru: Eight persons drowned and another was ‘missing’ while 17 people were rescued when a boat carrying about 26 pilgrims capsized at Karwar, the Indian Navy said.

According to police, there was an annual fair at the Kurumagada island in the Arabian sea, where the Narsimha Swamy shrine (dedicated to Lord Vishnu’s incarnation Narsimha) is located.

Police had earlier said nearly 1,000 people had gone there to take part in the fair and the boat capsized while returning to the Karwar beach.

TheNavy said in a tweet that there were 26 people in the boat.

Learning about the incident, Navy and Indian Coast Guard carried out rescue operations.

Of the 26 persons reported to be on the boat, 17 people were rescued by other civil boats operating in the area, the Navy said.

Eight bodies have been recovered by the Navy and Coast Guard while a search is on for the one person still missing.

A Dornier aircraft has been launched from Goa for search and rescue, the Navy added.