At least 13 people, all of them children aged 15 or younger, have died after a passenger boat capsized on the Ganges River in eastern India's Bihar state, local authorities confirmed.
The vessel, carrying between 15 and 20 passengers travelling to a feast and festival in a neighbouring village, overturned late on Tuesday in the central district of Vaishali.
Emergency rescue teams deployed to the scene have recovered 13 bodies from the river, whilst between six and seven passengers were pulled alive from the water, according to district officials.
"The boat was carrying 15 to 20 people when it overturned late Tuesday," District Magistrate Varsha Singh told reporters, adding that while 13 bodies have been recovered, search operations remain ongoing to account for everyone on board as the exact passenger tally is verified.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the tragedy as "deeply painful" and announced compensation for the bereaved families.
"My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this difficult time. I pray for the speedy recovery of all those injured. The local administration is assisting those affected," Modi stated on X platform.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary called the incident “heartbreaking.”
"The news of the innocent lives lost in the boat accident in Raghoopur, Vaishali, is extremely heartbreaking and soul-wrenching. In this difficult time, my deepest condolences are with the bereaved families. May God grant peace to the departed souls and provide the families with the strength to bear this immense sorrow," Choudhary wrote in an X post.
