Three missing after overcrowded ferry breaks mid-river in Nalbari

Nalbari, June 19: A major boat accident occurred on Thursday at the Gorakhsatari–Nadiya ferry ghat in Barkhetri, Nalbari district, leaving several passengers—many of them school students—feared missing in the river.

According to reports, three people are currently unaccounted for - students Aryan Ali and Majidul Islam, and Gafur Ali, a Grade IV government employee.

Preliminary information suggests that the boat, which was ferrying residents from nearby riverine areas across the river to the Gorakhsatari–Nadiya ghat, broke apart mid-river—reportedly due to severe overcrowding.

Eyewitnesses claimed that the boat was carrying over 100 passengers at the time of the mishap.

“The upper portion of the boat gave way. While the vessel didn’t capsize, many passengers fell into the river. Several people have been rescued, but 6–7 are still unaccounted for,” said a local resident.

Another eyewitness estimated the number of passengers to be around 100–120, including many school-going children returning home with their parents.

A student from Janata High School in Rampur, who survived the ordeal, recounted, “After the boat broke, we had to swim across the river to save ourselves. Later, rescue boats arrived and pulled many of us out. There were more than 150 people on board.”

The rescue team launched immediate rescue operations and managed to save several lives. However, panic and chaos gripped the site, exacerbated by the complete absence of safety measures—there were reportedly no life jackets on board.

To make matters worse, officials from the Inland Water Transport (IWT) Department had no record of the number of passengers on the boat, raising serious concerns about regulatory oversight.

Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and local police are continuing intensive search and rescue operations at the site.

Commenting on the incident, local MLA Diganta Barman said, “I have instructed the NDRF to rescue those still missing. Many students use this river route daily to attend school. We once had a bridge here, but it was washed away by the river nearly a decade ago.”

Search efforts remain ongoing, while anxious families await updates on the fate of their loved ones.