Mathura: At least 10 people have lost their lives and several others remain missing after a tourist boat carrying passengers, mostly from Punjab, overturned in the Yamuna river at Vrindavan on Friday afternoon, according to officials.

The accident took place close to Kesi Ghat when the boat, which had more than two dozen tourists onboard, drifted into deeper waters and struck a floating pontoon, authorities said.

Officials noted that a pontoon bridge in the area had recently been dismantled due to rising water levels. However, some pontoon drums were left behind in the river, and the vessel is believed to have collided with one of these structures.

District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh initially confirmed six deaths. Later, rescue teams recovered four additional bodies, taking the total number of fatalities to 10, district administration officials stated.

“16 to 17 people have been rescued safely so far. Efforts are ongoing to locate the missing,” the District Magistrate had said earlier, reiterating that all the tourists onboard were from Punjab.

According to medical authorities at the Vrindavan Joint Hospital, the deceased include six men and four women.

Large-scale rescue operation underway

Search and rescue efforts are being carried out with the involvement of the State Disaster Response Force and the National Disaster Response Force. Around 50 local divers have also been deployed at the site to assist in the operation.

A local diver named Gulab informed officials that approximately 15 persons had been pulled out of the river so far.

Pilgrims from Punjab among victims

Authorities said the passengers on the ill-fated boat were part of a larger group of nearly 150 pilgrims from Ludhiana and Muktsar in Punjab, who had travelled to Vrindavan.

Eyewitness accounts and official findings

Eyewitnesses told media outlets that strong gusts of wind caused the boat to sway heavily midstream. They said the vessel picked up speed before colliding with a pontoon bridge, leading to it capsizing.

Officials, however, maintained that the boat struck a floating pontoon that had remained in the river after the dismantling of the bridge.

Police and local administrative teams are jointly overseeing the rescue efforts. Divers continue to search the deeper parts of the river for those still missing.

Senior officials, including the District Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police, visited the site to review and monitor the ongoing operations.

With agency inputs