Thirteen children dead after boat capsizes in India
Updated | By AFP
At least 15 people including 13 children drowned when a boat capsized Thursday in western India, officials said.
The incident happened in Gujarat state as students were travelling to a picnic organised by their school.
Dozens of people joined a frantic search for survivors around the lake near the city of Vadodara where the boat capsized.
"The total death toll is 15," hospital superintendent Ranjan Aiyer told reporters.
Other officials at the hospital, who did not give their names, said that the victims included children aged as young as 10 along with two of their teachers.
The cause of the accident was not immediately clear but a Vadodara district official told AFP that 27 people were believed to be aboard.
ALSO READ: Search suspended for two Kwadukuza men swept away by floods
"My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief," Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
"May the injured recover soon. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to those affected."
Fatal boat accidents are common on Indian waterways.
Last year, at least 22 people were killed when their double-decker tourist boat capsized in the southern state of Kerala.
Survivors of that accident told local media that many of the passengers were not wearing life jackets.
MORE ON ECR
Show's Stories
-
Single Pringle? Here's how you cook for one in KZN
Crackers and colony for dinner? Or perhaps a full spread? East Coast Bre...
East Coast Breakfast 44 minutes ago -
Executive producer's top 5 tips to WIN on ECR
An exclusive look on some saucy secrets that could help you win a compet...
East Coast Breakfast 56 minutes ago