Mathura Yamuna Boat Accident: 15 Lives Lost, Rescue Teams Persist

Tragedy struck deeper in Mathura as the Yamuna claimed two more lives, pushing the fatality count from the April 10 boat overturn to 15. NDRF divers retrieved the bodies Monday, one identified as Punjab’s Yash Bhalla (Yuvraj), badly decomposed near Keshi Ghat, and the other as Monika.

With one individual still unaccounted for, multi-agency teams—including NDRF and Army’s Strike One Corps—maintain a high-stakes vigil over the river. Bodies are undergoing autopsy, as advanced tech like drones assists in the expansive hunt.

The disaster hit a group of around 150 Punjab devotees from Ludhiana and Muktsar on a spiritual sojourn to Vrindavan. The boat, packed with over 24 people, lost control in mid-stream, allegedly colliding with stray pontoon drums from a recently cleared bridge amid rising waters.

This collision, experts surmise, destabilized the vessel, sending it into a fatal spin. Survivors recount the panic as currents pulled victims under. The administration’s response has been swift, but questions linger on oversight failures in this pilgrimage hotspot.

Community leaders urge immediate reforms: mandatory safety gear, capacity limits, and debris clearance. Families cling to hope for the missing, while official probes promise accountability. This heartbreaking event serves as a stark reminder of nature’s fury and human vulnerability on sacred rivers.