Boat capsize: 9 bodies retrieved, 24 still missing

Hyderabad: Of the 60 passengers on the boat that capsized in the Godavari on Sunday afternoon, 27 passengers have been rescued and nine bodies retrieved. About 24 passengers are still missing, according to the ITDA APO and tahsildar Devipatnam.

The nine retrieved bodies have been shifted to Guntur Government Hospital (GGH) in Rajahmundry for post mortem. Medical teams will begin conducting post mortem from Monday morning onwards.

Of the 27 rescued, 16 were given first aid treatment at the Area Hospital, Rampachodavaram and later shifted to GGH Rajahmundry for further treatment and trauma counselling. The remaining 11 were taken to Area Hospital Rampachodavaram.

A three-star accommodation at Lahspin Hotel was arranged by the district administration for post-medical treatment and trauma counselling, till the victims are safely escorted to their respective places.

A team of specialised deep diver’s with side-scan sonar equipment from Uttarakhand has reached the state and are expected to reach the accident spot along with a team of six experts from the Uttarkhand SDRF. A team of deep divers from the Indian Navy started rescue operations on Monday morning along with two Navy and 1 ONGC choppers.

Two NDRF and three SDRF have been deployed at the spot and are engaged in rescue operations with all the necessary rescue and communication equipment. Six fire teams from East and West Godavari districts with eight IR boats along with 12 Aska Lights and one satellite phone are engaged in the search and rescue operations.