Authorities said searches will continue until all passengers are found
Jabalpur/Bhopal: The death toll in the Barji Dam cruise ship disaster rose to 11 on Saturday as rescuers fished out the bodies of two more children from a reservoir in central MP and ignored high wind warnings under scrutiny.The shipwreck, which has become a source of criticism, started on Thursday evening despite winds expected to reach 50km/h – well above the recommended limit of 25-30km/h for water sports – officials revealed. Wind speeds were later estimated to have surged to nearly 74 km/h.Safety practices elsewhere in the state appear to be consistent with these guidelines. Water sports activities in Bhopal Lower Lake were suspended for the day due to strong wind warning. National aquatics coach Mayank Thakur said he hedged at a speed slightly below the official threshold and stopped operations even at 20-22 kmph. “Every athlete’s life is precious,” he said.Prashant Kushwaha of the International Canoe Federation stressed that the weather department’s warning was not being taken lightly. “If wind speeds exceed safety standards, we will prohibit boats from launching,” he said.Accounts within the tourism department allege neglect. One employee said weather conditions are often not considered before a boat is launched.Attempts to contact senior officials did not receive a response.The latest victims were identified as Viraj Soni (4) and Tamil (5), who were rescued from the reservoir of Balji Dam.On board were six members of the Sony family from Dahai Village. Four people survived. The body of Viraj’s mother Nisha was found earlier. Tamir was on the cruise with his father and cousin. The two men are still missing.Balji Divisional Police Officer Anjul Ayank Mishra confirmed the rescue and said the death toll was eight women and three children.As the search operation enters its third day, four people are still missing. More than 200 personnel from the police, SDRF, NDRF and Army continued to search the sea, battling strong winds and poor visibility.Based on CCTV footage from the entrance, investigators said 43 people boarded the cruise ship. Twenty-eight people were rescued that night. Rescue teams recovered four bodies on Thursday, followed by five and two more bodies in the following days.Authorities said the search will continue until all passengers are found.
