11 dead in MP boat tragedy: Warnings ignored; cruise sailed in 50km/h winds, ended in sinking

JABALPUR/BHOPAL: Ignored wind warnings came under sharp scrutiny after the death toll in the Bargi dam cruise disaster rose to 11 Saturday, with rescuers retrieving two more bodies — both children — from the reservoir in central Madhya Pradesh.

The sinking has become a wellspring of criticism after officials revealed that the cruise, operated by MT Tourism, was launched Thursday evening despite forecasts of winds touching 50kmph — far above the 25–30kmph ceiling recommended for water sports. Wind speeds were later estimated to have surged to nearly 74kmph.



Safety practices elsewhere in the state appear to dovetail sharply with those guidelines. Water sports at Lower Lake in Bhopal were suspended the same day due to strong wind alerts. National water sports coach Mayank Thakur said he hedged a bit below official thresholds, halting operations even at 20–22kmph. "The life of every single athlete is precious," he said.

Prashant Kushwaha, linked to International Canoe Federation, underscored that no warnings from meteorological authorities are taken lightly. If wind speeds exceed our safety standards, we prohibit the launching of boats," he said.

Accounts from within the tourism department alleged a pattern of neglect. An employee, speaking anonymously, said weather inputs are often not consulted before launching boats. "Cruise boats are generally safe, but only if rules are followed," the employee said.

Repeated attempts to reach senior tourism officials drew no response.

The latest victims, identified as four-year-old Viraj Soni and five-year-old Tamil, were pulled out from the reservoir at Bargi Dam, located about 40km southwest of Jabalpur and roughly 300km east of Bhopal. Four people remain missing as search operations entered a third day.

More than 200 personnel from police, SDRF, NDRF and the Army continued combing the waters, battling strong winds and poor visibility. Bargi sub-divisional police officer Anjul Ayank Mishra confirmed recovery of the children's bodies, taking the toll to eight women and three children.

Investigators said 43 people boarded the cruise, according to CCTV footage at the entry point. Twenty-eight were rescued the same night. Rescue teams retrieved four bodies Thursday, five and two the following days.

Families have borne the brunt of the tragedy. Six members of the Soni family from Darhai village were on board. Four survived, while Nisha Soni's body was found earlier and her son Viraj was among those retrieved Saturday. In another case, Tamil had boarded with his father and cousin, both still missing — a longshot hope persists among relatives as divers widen the search grid.

Authorities said operations will continue until all missing passengers are accounted for.
Tragedy toll rises to 11, four still missing
The death toll in the Bargi cruise tragedy climbed to 11 on Saturday after two more bodies, both of children, were recovered during ongoing search operations at Bargi Dam.

The deceased were identified as four-year-old Viraj Soni from Darhai and five-year-old Tamil from Khamariya. Four people are still missing as rescue efforts entered their third day. Officials said more than 200 personnel from the police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Army are involved in the search operation.

Efforts have been hampered by strong winds and low visibility in the area. Bargi CSP Anjul Ayank Mishra confirmed that the bodies of the two children were recovered on Saturday evening. With this, the total number of victims recovered so far includes eight women and three children. Rescue teams recovered four bodies on Thursday, five on Friday and two more on Saturday


Check AP SSC 10th Result 2026 on TOI