This Article is From Jun 15, 2013

Malda boat capsize toll rises to 9; many people still missing

Malda boat capsize toll rises to 9; many people still missing
Malda, West Bengal: With the recovery of seven bodies on Saturday, the toll in the boat capsize incident in Malda district of West Bengal rose to nine, official sources said.

Thirty-one people swam to safety and six others were rescued by the local people, Malda District Magistrate G Kiran Kumar.

Among the persons rescued by the locals, five persons were admitted to a Manikchak hospital and one person was shifted to Malda Medical College and Hospital.

Of the nine dead, six were males, two females and one was a 12-year-old boy, he said.

The boat and the boatman were not traceable, he said.

The boat carrying around 50-55 people, mostly daily labourers and farmers, capsized in the midstream of the river Ganga after it left Dharampur for the char (riverine island), on Friday.

Five rescue teams, including a 35-member Disaster Management Team from Kolkata, were on the job, he said.

Rescue operations were continuing, he said.

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