Two helicopters from Eastern Command Naval base and Coast Guard with boats and expert divers from Visakhapatnam, were
deployed to carry out search in the river and on its shore.
At least 11 pilgrims were drowned and three others were missing after an overcrowded boat capsized in Godavari river in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh today.
Authorities here have launched an extensive search operation to locate additional survivors.
The country-made boat ferrying over 50 persons overturned at around 0700 hours in the river near Biyyaputeppa village, about 120km from Elluru in Andhra Pradesh, district revenue officials said.
The victims, mostly belonging to fishermen's families from Upputeru and nearby villages were proceeding to have a holy dip at a temple in Antarvedi when the mishap occurred, they said adding 40 persons managed to swim to safety with the help of villagers.
Two helicopters from Eastern Command Naval base and Coast Guard with boats and expert divers from Visakhapatnam, were
deployed to carry out search in the river and on its shore, Eluru Range DIG Mahesh Bhagwath told PTI over phone.
So far 11 bodies including that of five women and five children (in the age-group of 3 to 50) were fished out, he said adding at least three more people are believed to be missing. Earlier, district authorities had put the number of those missing at 30 persons.
"We are still trying to find out exact number of those missing. The search will continue. Seven expert swimmers from the Navy were involved in the rescue efforts," Bhagwath said.
Asked about the cause of the mishap, the senior police officer said, "It was a fishing boat and was overcrowded that resulted in the incident."
An official of the Revenue Department said three people from the boat were located in Antarvedi temple and two survivors were undergoing treatment at a medical camp here.
Meanwhile, the state government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs one lakh to the kin of the deceased, while chief minister K Rosaiah has directed district in-charge ministers Vatti Vasanth Kumar (rural development) and P Satyanarayana (arogyasri) to supervise and speed up the rescue work.
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