BHOPAL: The death toll in the cruise boat capsize at Jabalpur’s Bargi Dam rose to six on Friday, officials said, as a video capturing the moment the vessel overturned during a sudden storm surfaced online. The footage shows the boat struggling against strong winds before losing balance and capsizing in turbulent waters.The cruise boat operated by the Madhya Pradesh tourism department capsized on Thursday evening in a reservoir at Bargi Dam on the Narmada river, leaving several people missing even as 22 were rescued.Officials said the vessel was carrying around 43 people, including the captain and two crew members, when it was caught in a sudden storm triggered by an abrupt weather change. The high-velocity winds caused the boat to lose control and overturn in the reservoir.Meteorological data indicated that wind speeds surged to 60–70 kmph around 6pm, creating rough conditions in the water. Officials believe these strong winds destabilized the vessel, leading to the accident. Captain Madan Patel was among those rescued with the help of life jackets, and another passenger was saved later. However, the two other crew members remain missing. Survivors alleged that life jackets were distributed only after the boat began to sink, leaving little time to use them amid the panic.The state government has ordered an inquiry into the incident and announced compensation of Rs 4 lakh each for the families of the deceased. Tourists say no life jackets, flag poor checks and overcrowding:Eyewitness claim No life jackets, low railings, children moving freelyCore issue Basic norms ignored despite past warnings repeat pattern Similar incident in Bhopal’s Upper Lake (2022) broken promiseReforms promised earlier, poor follow-up and auditsAccountability gap Officials unresponsive, checks allegedly weak tourist anger Survivors and families demanding accountability Larger concernSystemic lapses into tourist boat operations
