A devastating incident occurred on Thursday, January 18, 2024, when a boat ferrying a school group during a picnic at Harni Lake in Vadodara, a significant city in Gujarat, India, overturned. The unfortunate event resulted in the deaths of 12 students and two teachers.
The boat was part of a private school outing when it capsized in the lake, according to fire service personnel. Despite the successful rescue of at least 11 students, the event led to multiple fatalities.
Jitu Parmar, a fire officer stationed in Vadodara, verified that search efforts were still underway for a missing individual, and the cause of the incident was being investigated.
The Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel, expressed his deep regret over the tragic event, terming it as “extremely heartbreaking.” The incident has left a deep impact on the local community and beyond.
The incident underscored a persistent problem in India: the absence of sufficient safety measures on many boats.
Reports from the Hindustan Times pointed to the boat being significantly overcrowded, carrying more than 31 people despite its maximum capacity of 14. Several individuals from the boating facility and project managers who developed the lake destination have been arrested for safety violations.
All occupants on the boat were without life jackets. This oversight has been a contributing factor in previous incidents, such as in May of the previous year, when a double-decker boat carrying over 30 passengers capsized in Kerala state, leading to 22 deaths.
In another past incident in May 2018, 30 individuals lost their lives when their boat capsized on the flooded Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh.
The primary causes under investigation are overcrowding and the lack of life jackets. Legal proceedings have been initiated against the boat operators, Sri Kotiya Project, under charges of culpable homicide.
In response to the tragedy, Bhupendra Patel, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have announced financial aid for the families of the deceased. A probe has been ordered to examine the roles of the school authorities and boat operators in the incident.
