Capsized Indian boat leaves 55 dead
A boat packed with almost 300 passengers capsized in a river in India’s southern Kerala state today, and 55 people were believed dead, police said.
Most of the dead were youths travelling to Kumerakam town in the coastal state of Kerala to take an examination for government jobs, said a police spokesman.
The bodies of 32 people have been recovered so far, he said, adding that many others were reported missing and the death toll could rise.
The passenger boat, belonging to the Kerala State Water Transport Corp, capsized in the Vembanad area, police said.
Indian Navy helicopters were conducting aerial surveys, and navy divers were looking in the water for more bodies or survivors.
"The boat with a passenger capacity of 110 people was carrying about 300 passengers, and this overcrowding was the reason for the tragedy," said local resident Ragesh Pillai.
