Barely four days after the Kerala boat tragedy, in which several people were killed, a major boat mishap was averted in Orissa on Wednesday when 40 students were rescued from River Budhanai after the boat in which they were travelling capsized.

The boat lost balance near the Champachhanda ghat.

The children were returning home after school. They are all students of the Gokhna High School near Jajpur in Orissa.

A search and rescue operation was launched soon after the incident was reported.