We raised alarm, crew paid no heed: Jabalpur boat tragedy survivor recounts horror

After nine people died in a cruise capsize incident in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur, survivors have called out serious lapses in safety protocols and apathy on the part of the crew members. One of the survivors alleged that the crew did not pay heed to the passengers’ request to take the vessel to safety, despite being alerted and alarmed by them amid adverse weather.

On Thursday evening, a leisure trip turned tragic at Bargi Dam after a state tourism department cruise, carrying 30 people, capsized in the Narmada River backwaters, leaving nine people dead and several others missing. The incident happened amid sudden strong winds despite a prior weather alert.

Pradeep Kumar, a Delhi resident who survived the tragedy, recounted the chaos and fear that unfolded within minutes. "There was no arrangement. Not all of us were given life jackets and had no option but share them among ourselves," he said, highlighting the absence of basic safety measures on board.

According to him, the vessel was carrying nearly 30 passengers but had only two crew members, neither of whom effectively guided or assisted the tourists during the emergency.

Kumar described how the situation deteriorated rapidly once the cruise reached the middle of the dam.

"Strong winds picked up suddenly, turning the water choppy. As soon as I wore the jacket, the accident happened. In just 2–3 minutes, everything was destroyed," he said.

He added that passengers had to distribute life jackets among themselves in panic, as the crew failed to intervene.

"They didn’t come down. They should have taken care of the tourists," he remarked, accusing the crew of abandoning responsibility at a critical moment.

The bodies of Pradeep Kumar's wife and four-year-old son, who were earlier reported missing, were later recovered.

Eyewitness accounts further suggest that people on the shore had warned the operator to steer the vessel back to safety as the weather worsened.

However, the operator allegedly ignored repeated pleas and continued along the original route.

Kumar echoed this concern, stating that the crew "did not pay heed" to requests to move the boat to the bank, a decision that may have contributed to the disaster.

The cruise eventually lost balance and overturned, throwing passengers into the water.

Local residents rushed to help, rescuing some individuals with ropes, particularly those who had managed to secure life jackets. Authorities confirmed that 15 passengers were rescued and shifted to nearby hospitals, while search operations continued to locate the missing.

ADMINISTRATIVE LAPSES?

The tragedy has also raised questions about administrative oversight, as the cruise was reportedly allowed to operate despite a yellow alert issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning of strong winds in the region.

Critics point to this as a significant lapse in enforcing safety restrictions.

State minister Rakesh Singh, who visited the site following the incident, termed it "most unfortunate" and announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the families of the victims.

Rescue operations involving the State Disaster Response Force and other teams continued into the night, though efforts were hampered by poor visibility.

As investigations are expected to follow, the incident underscores serious concerns about safety preparedness, adherence to weather advisories, and accountability in tourism operations—issues that authorities will now be under pressure to address.

- Ends