Alappuzha — A country boat carrying around 20 passengers, including several women, capsized in the scenic backwaters of Kerala’s Alappuzha district on Monday, leaving one person missing and prompting an urgent search and rescue operation.
Eyewitnesses reported that the boat overturned due to overloading and rough water currents, throwing passengers into the water. While most were swiftly rescued by alert locals and fishermen, one individual is still unaccounted for, believed to be either trapped or swept away by the current.
Rescue teams, including State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) divers and fire service personnel, are conducting an intensive search. “Efforts are ongoing, and all resources have been mobilized,” said an official involved in the operation.
Authorities have launched an investigation into possible safety lapses, such as the absence of life jackets or operating without valid permits. The District Collector has ordered a preliminary probe into the cause of the incident.
The tragedy has once again put the spotlight on lax safety standards in Kerala’s inland water transport, raising fresh concerns over passenger safety in the state’s popular backwater tourism zones.
