3 dead, 16 rescued alive as motor boat capsizes in Brahmaputra near North Guwahati; 17 still missing

At least 3 people are dead and 17 people are still missing as a passenger boat capsized in the Brahmaputra after crashing onto under-construction pillars of Water Supply Plant. A

At least 3 people are dead and 17 people are still missing as a passenger boat capsized in the Brahmaputra after crashing onto under-construction pillars of Water Supply Plant.

A boat carrying 36 passengers in total has capsized in the mighty Brahmaputra river in North Guwahati. Many are feared dead, with bodies of three deceased have already been recovered.

#BREAKING | A ferry capsizes in Ashwaklanta temple in North Guwahati. At least 40 passengers were on board the ferry when the incident occurred. Meanwhile, SDRF and NDRF personnel have rushed to the spot for rescue operations. pic.twitter.com/rVdE175jVD

— Northeast Live (@NELiveTV) September 5, 2018

#BREAKING | #BoatTragedy: Total number of people drowned in the boat capsize mounts to 3 with death of another college student named Dimpy Bora who was declared dead in hospital. pic.twitter.com/vpQfeGHyzC

— Northeast Live (@NELiveTV) September 5, 2018

The three deceased have been identified as Ankita Barua hailing from North Guwahati, Dimpy Bora and Kamal Das. Ankita was a student of Cotton University in Guwahati.

On the other hand, 16 passengers have been rescued alive, as the NDRF and the SDRF have launched a massive search and rescue operation. The Indian Army has also been pressed into service.

6 of the rescued 16 people have been identified as Rajesh Saha, Piyushi Saha, Rinki Saha of Lumding, Minakshi Das, Nur Uddin of Rajaduwar and Jitumoni Das. However, whereabouts of the 17 missing are yet to be ascertained.

Reports are that overloading of the boat led to the tragic incident. Not only this, the engine of the boat malfunctioned moments before hitting the under construction pillars of the water supply project.

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