At least nine people have died, and several others are still missing. Survivors reported that life jackets were not distributed before the boat set sail, raising serious concerns about cruise safety protocols.

The Madhya Pradesh government announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the families of each deceased victim. A yellow alert for heavy rain had been issued by the weather department prior to the incident, indicating that conditions were unsafe for boating.

The cruise capsized around 6 PM. Divers recovered five bodies by Friday evening, with five people still unaccounted for. Rescue operations faced delays, which may have cost lives.

The Narmada Queen has been in service since 2006 and was operated by the MP Tourism Department. Reports indicate that the pilot and crew allegedly abandoned ship before it capsized.

Key facts:

• The boat was carrying a total of 43 passengers and crew members.
• 28 individuals have been rescued so far.
• Survivors spent up to 3.5 hours searching for a child.

Rajesh Soni criticized the decision to allow the boat to operate under such conditions, calling it a major lapse. Roshan Anand Verma mentioned that the weather was clear when they boarded but changed suddenly as they reached mid-dam.

A high-level investigation committee has been constituted to probe the incident further. The exact number of missing persons remains unclear as reports vary.

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