Thirteen Children Die in Boat Capsize Heading to Hindu Festival

Thirteen children heading to a Hindu festival have died after a boat capsized in the Ganges River in India.

According to AFP and other foreign media outlets on the 15th local time, a boat capsized in the Ganges River in the Vaishali district of India's eastern state of Bihar on the night of the 13th.

The accident claimed the lives of 13 children, while six other passengers were rescued. Among them, two children are reportedly in critical condition.

Residents living near the accident site searched for the bodies of the victims in the dark using the flashlights of their mobile phones.

Ravi Yadav, who participated in the rescue operation, told AFP, "In the dark of night, after the boat capsized, we suddenly heard the voices of children screaming and crying for help," adding, "It was pitch dark, so we managed to rescue a few children using cell phones and flashlights."

AFP reported that the passengers on board the boat were on their way to a Hindu festival at the time of the accident.

Another resident, Ramlakhan Rai, said, "The boat was small and in poor condition, meant to hold only a few people, but it was packed with passengers," adding, "Some families lost all of their children."

Nirmal Kumar, a medical worker at a local health center in the Vaishali district, stated that four rescued children and two adults were transported to a hospital.

Local police are investigating the exact cause of the accident by questioning witnesses and others.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a statement, "The loss of lives due to the boat capsizing accident is deeply heartbreaking," and announced that compensation of 200,000 rupees (approximately 2.8 million won) will be provided to the bereaved families of the victims.

In India, the world's most populous nation, boat accidents occur frequently due to overloading and failure to properly follow safety regulations.

In April as well, a tour boat carrying about 40 tourists capsized in the Narmada River in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, resulting in the deaths of nine people, including children and women.

(Photo: Getty Images)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.