Mathura boat tragedy toll rises to 15; search on for missing person

The death toll in the recent boat accident in Mathura has climbed to 15 after rescue teams recovered two more bodies from the Yamuna River, officials confirmed on Monday.

One of the victims has been identified as Yash Bhalla, also known as Yuvraj, who was from Punjab, while the second deceased has been identified as Monica. Authorities said Bhalla’s body was found along the riverbank near Devraha Baba Ghat, close to Keshi Ghat. Officials noted that the remains were in a severely damaged condition when recovered.

The bodies were retrieved by personnel from the National Disaster Response Force, which has been leading the ongoing search operation. Police have taken custody of the remains and sent them for post-mortem examination.

Rescue efforts are still underway to locate one person who remains missing. Authorities have deployed drones to assist in the search, while teams from the Indian Army’s Strike One Corps are working alongside disaster response units in an extensive recovery operation.

The accident occurred on the afternoon of 10 April in Vrindavan, when a boat carrying tourists capsized in the river. Most of the passengers were pilgrims from Punjab, part of a larger group of around 150 people who had travelled from Ludhiana and Muktsar districts.

According to officials, the boat was carrying more than two dozen passengers when it drifted into deeper waters near Keshi Ghat and struck an object. Investigators suspect the vessel may have collided with floating pontoon drums left behind after a temporary bridge in the area was dismantled due to rising water levels.

Authorities continue to probe the circumstances surrounding the incident even as search and rescue operations remain ongoing.

With IANS inputs