Guwahati: About 65 persons, including women and children, are missing after a passenger boat capsized in the river Brahmaputra in Majuli on Wednesday afternoon. In a horrific accident, one ferry named "Maa Kamala", carrying about 120 passengers, including women and children, capsized in the Brahmaputra River near the banks of Majuli Island on Wednesday (September 8) afternoon.
The accident took place after the collision of two ferries coming from two different directions on the river Brahmaputra.
Over 120 passengers were aboard the ferries.
According to reports, around 60 to 65 passengers are missing and are now suspected to be drowned.
The ferries were travelling from Jorhat's Nimati Ghat to Majuli when the collision took place.
An eyewitness said, "The ferry coming from Nimatighat was around 100 meters away from reaching Majuli bank when it collided with the other ferry going in the opposite direction from Majuli. There were some 25-30 motorbikes also on the ferry that sank completely."
Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma asked the administration to expedite the rescue operation and asked minister Bimal Bora to rush to Majuli. CM said he would visit Nimati Ghat tomorrow.
The national disaster response force (NDRF) and state disaster response team (SDRF) teams have already started a rescue operation. Top district administration officials, including DC and SP of Majuli, are on the spot to supervise the rescue operations.
