New Delhi: As questions grow over safety lapses and alleged negligence, a video recorded from inside the ill-fated cruise ship at Jabalpur’s Balji Dam has surfaced, giving a glimpse into the moments before the vessel capsized.The video shows the boat already navigating rough waters and two people can be seen hurriedly opening their life jackets. However, several passengers did not take them with them, reinforcing survivors’ claims that the safety gear was not distributed in a timely manner. Also read: Mother and son embrace each other in final moments amid MP boat tragedyThe incident, which took place on Thursday night, has so far left nine people dead and six still missing. Even as disturbing details of the ship’s last moments emerged, rescue teams comprising the Army, NDRF and SDRF continued the search operation. Survivors claim life jackets were stored rather than issued initially, leading to a chaotic emergency rescue as the vessel became unstable.During the rescue, the body of a 39-year-old woman, Marina Massey, was found holding her 4-year-old son. Officials believe she was trying to protect him as the lower cabin where they were trapped flooded rapidly with water. Both men were wearing life jackets, but the limited space may have given them little chance of escape.Passengers urged the crew to turn back as strong winds made the water increasingly rough, witnesses said. However, these warnings were either not heard or acted on too late. One survivor claimed the ship was so overcrowded that even children without tickets were on board.The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department has since fired several staff and launched an investigation, while Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has banned similar cruise operations pending an investigation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences and announced compensation to the families of the victims.
