Death toll rises to 24 after India Ganges boat capsizes

Five more bodies have been recovered from the Ganges river after an overloaded boat capsized near the capital of eastern India's Bihar state, taking the death toll to 24, officials said yesterday as rescuers ended search operations. The accident happened on Saturday evening as people were ferrying back after watching kite-flying celebrations to mark a harvest festival.The boat was carrying as many as 50 people, more than its capacity of 30, and it capsized not far from the shore in the state capital Patna, Bihar state's disaster management minister Chandrashekhar told Reuters on Saturday. Nineteen bodies were found on Saturday.

Manu Maharaj, a senior police official from the state, said on Sunday rescuers had ended search operations after recovering the five additional bodies. "Operations have been closed because there is no more missing complaint," Maharaj said, estimating the total number of people on the boat when it capsized at about 40. "But we are on alert," he said. Police have registered a case against the boat operator, Maharaj said.

The disaster management minister had said on Saturday 10 to 12 people managed to swim to safety. Eight people were hospitalized after being rescued.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives and announced "ex-gratia" of 200,000 rupees ($2,934) for the families of the deceased, according to his official Twitter account.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the deaths while cancelling an event he was scheduled to attend in Patna on Sunday.

Boat accidents are common in the country, mainly because of overcrowding, poor maintenance, lax regulations and a lack of life jackets and other safety equipment. Some 20 people died after a ferry capsized in a rain-swollen river in India's northeastern state of Assam in September 2015. More than 100 people lost their lives in 2012 in Assam when a boat sank in the Brahmaputra river during a storm.