Vadodara Picnic Boat Capsizing

Tragic Boat Capsizing at Harni Lake: 14 Students and 2 Teachers Lose Lives in Vadodara Picnic

Incident Overview:

In a devastating turn of events during a private school picnic near Vadodara, a boat carrying 34 individuals capsized in Harni Lake, resulting in the tragic loss of six school students.

Fatalities and Rescue Efforts:

• 14 students and two teachers lost their lives as the boat overturned in Harni Lake.
• More than 10 children have been rescued, but challenges persist in the rescue operation due to sludge at the lake bottom, hindering the efforts of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

Picnic Turned Tragedy:

• A total of 14 individuals, including 12 children and two teachers, met a tragic end during their picnic as the boat capsized in Harni Lake.
• Shockingly, the boat was ferrying 27 students from a private school, and none of them had life jackets.

Search Operation and Accountability:

• The fire brigade has initiated a search operation for the missing students, with Vadodara MLA Shailesh Mehta pointing fingers at the boat contractor.
• Mehta emphasized, “It was the boat contractor’s fault. There were more people on the boat than its capacity. The government will be asked to take strict action against the contractor.”

National Response and Relief Measures:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced financial assistance from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund – Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the injured.
• Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, canceling his appointments, pledged a solatium of Rs 4 lakh for the family of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the family of the injured. He highlighted the ongoing emergency relief, rescue, and treatment operations.

“At present, emergency relief-rescue and treatment operations are going on through the system. We all feel and pray that more and more lives can be saved,” stated Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.