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In a heart-wrenching incident on Thursday, at least 16 lives were lost, including school children and teachers, when a boat carrying 27 students and their teachers capsized in Harni Lake on the outskirts of Vadodara, Gujarat. The group had embarked on a picnic, and the tragic turn of events has left the community in shock and mourning.
The boat, which was reportedly carrying passengers beyond its capacity, overturned, leading to the loss of lives. Among the victims were innocent school children who had set out for a day of leisure with their teachers. The incident has prompted a swift response from local authorities, triggering a search and rescue operation to locate the missing students.
As of now, 10 individuals have been successfully rescued from the lake. Gujarat’s education minister, Kuber Dindor, revealed that both the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and fire brigade personnel have been deployed to assist in the search operation, emphasizing the urgency of finding the missing students.
Local residents played a crucial role in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, rescuing some children before the official rescue teams arrived at the scene. Vadodara MP Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt has assured that strict action will be taken against those found responsible for the mishap, underlining the need for accountability in such tragic incidents.
The rescued students have been transported to various hospitals for medical attention, as the community grapples with the aftermath of the devastating incident. Reports suggest that the boat was overloaded, raising questions about safety measures and adherence to capacity limits during such recreational outings.
Expressing condolences, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement saying, “Distressed by the loss of lives due to a boat capsizing at the Harni lake in Vadodara. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. May the injured recover soon.” The statement further announced that an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) would be provided to the next of kin of each deceased, with Rs. 50,000 allocated for the injured.
As investigations into the incident are likely to unfold, this tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the importance of prioritizing safety measures, particularly when organizing excursions involving children and vulnerable groups. The community, along with authorities, now faces the challenging task of providing support to the affected families and ensuring a thorough examination of the circumstances leading to this unfortunate incident.
