New Delhi: Eleven children are still missing after a boat carrying more than 30 people, including kids on their way to school, overturned near the Madhupur Patti Ghat on the Bagmati River in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district on Thursday morning. Ominously, teams from the National and State Disaster Response Forces have been unable to recover even a single body so far; the boat capsized around 11 AM.
District officials are now going door-to-door to check if children living in each house were on the boat and if they have returned home. In a video posted on X by news agency ANI, four men can be seen on an inflatable raft; one man, with an oxygen tank on his back, jumps into the river to search for people.
"Around 11 in the morning NDRF Control Room got information a boat capsized in Bagmati River near Muzaffarpur. As soon as we got information we ordered our team to reach the site..." Randhir Singh, the Deputy Commandant of the NDRF's Bihar unit, told ANI.
"As per our information, there were 25-30 people on the boat and, till now we have received information from local administration that nearly 20 have been rescued (but) you should confirm this from civil administration..." he said.
"For people not able to save themselves, our team of divers has reached and they are busy rescuing people.. As soon as we get information about bodies, we will share..." he added.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar told reporters senior officers, including the District Magistrate, had been directed to the scene of the accident and said aid and support will be given to the children's families.
"Rescue operation is underway... I have asked the District Magistrate concerned to look into the matter with urgency. The state government will provide all assistance to the affected families." he said.
A team from the State Disaster Response Force is also on-site.