<p>At least 39 tourists went missing and 8 died in a boat accident involving a tourist boat “Sri Vasista” which was on the way to tourist spot Papikondalu on Sunday. The boat capsized in river Godavari near Mantur-Kachchulur in Devipatnam Block of East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh around 10.30 am.</p>.<p>There were around 62 tourists and 11 crew members on the double Decker boat when the accident took place. While 26 of the tourists few wearing life jackets reached to safety, rescuers traced 8 dead bodies before darkness. The fate of others is not yet known. Boat drivers Sangadi Nookaraju and Tamaraju also died in the accident. The Boat run by Punnami travels is owned by Kodigudla Venkata Ramana. He says that there were 150 life jackets in the boat which has a capacity of 90 people.</p>.<p>The ill-fated boat which reportedly has no permit, was taking the tourists from Gandi Pochamma temple to Papikondalu. “The boat slowly started tilting; while at least 20 of us crawled on the boats upside down surface others fell into river. After a while, another boat came and saved us,” Dasarath one of the five survivors from a batch of 14 tourists from Kadipikonda of Warangal district in Telangana said. “The boat was going close to banks but why suddenly the driver moved to the centre we don’t know,” another tourist Prabhakar recovering in Rampachodavaram hospital said.</p>.<p>“It is a private boat. The flood is severe, the flow is coming from opposite direction and the boat accidentally hit a rock. We have pressed rescue teams, speed boats of APTDC. Out of the tourists at least many were rescued,” state Home Minister Mekatoti Sucharita said. She said that the boat has no permission from designated Port Authority in Kakinada<strong>.</strong></p>.<p><strong>CM announces Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia</strong></p>.<p>Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each to the kin of the deceased. He directed the officials to suspend all boating services immediately in the region and to examine the boats about their viability of transportation. He also told them to check for the license of the boats and if adequate training was given to the staff or not. He asked for a complete report on the incident and asked to release safety guidelines prepared by an experts committee.</p>.<p><strong>PM condoles</strong></p>.<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his tweet in Telugu said “The boat accident in East Godavari district was most painful. I offer my condolences to the bereaved families. Relief and rescue operations are taking place right now”.</p>.<p>Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and former AP CM Nara Chandrababu Naidu also offered their condolences to the bereaved families.</p>
<p>At least 39 tourists went missing and 8 died in a boat accident involving a tourist boat “Sri Vasista” which was on the way to tourist spot Papikondalu on Sunday. The boat capsized in river Godavari near Mantur-Kachchulur in Devipatnam Block of East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh around 10.30 am.</p>.<p>There were around 62 tourists and 11 crew members on the double Decker boat when the accident took place. While 26 of the tourists few wearing life jackets reached to safety, rescuers traced 8 dead bodies before darkness. The fate of others is not yet known. Boat drivers Sangadi Nookaraju and Tamaraju also died in the accident. The Boat run by Punnami travels is owned by Kodigudla Venkata Ramana. He says that there were 150 life jackets in the boat which has a capacity of 90 people.</p>.<p>The ill-fated boat which reportedly has no permit, was taking the tourists from Gandi Pochamma temple to Papikondalu. “The boat slowly started tilting; while at least 20 of us crawled on the boats upside down surface others fell into river. After a while, another boat came and saved us,” Dasarath one of the five survivors from a batch of 14 tourists from Kadipikonda of Warangal district in Telangana said. “The boat was going close to banks but why suddenly the driver moved to the centre we don’t know,” another tourist Prabhakar recovering in Rampachodavaram hospital said.</p>.<p>“It is a private boat. The flood is severe, the flow is coming from opposite direction and the boat accidentally hit a rock. We have pressed rescue teams, speed boats of APTDC. Out of the tourists at least many were rescued,” state Home Minister Mekatoti Sucharita said. She said that the boat has no permission from designated Port Authority in Kakinada<strong>.</strong></p>.<p><strong>CM announces Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia</strong></p>.<p>Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each to the kin of the deceased. He directed the officials to suspend all boating services immediately in the region and to examine the boats about their viability of transportation. He also told them to check for the license of the boats and if adequate training was given to the staff or not. He asked for a complete report on the incident and asked to release safety guidelines prepared by an experts committee.</p>.<p><strong>PM condoles</strong></p>.<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his tweet in Telugu said “The boat accident in East Godavari district was most painful. I offer my condolences to the bereaved families. Relief and rescue operations are taking place right now”.</p>.<p>Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and former AP CM Nara Chandrababu Naidu also offered their condolences to the bereaved families.</p>
