1 dead, 15 missing as boat capsizes in UP

Lucknow : A woman died while 15 persons went missing after an overcrowded boat capsized in the Ganges river in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnore district on Friday afternoon, officials said.

The boat had 32 persons on board when, due to strong currents, it suddenly turtled. All on-board were washed away but villagers managed to save 16 persons and brought them safely to the banks.

While rescue operations were underway till late evening, there was no trace of the 15 missing persons. District officials say the chances of their survival are "now very bleak".

Senior district and police officials rushed to the scene of the incident to oversee the rescue operations, a government spokesman informed IANS.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the Bijnore District officials to expedite the rescue operations, he added.

Seven of those who were rescued have been admitted to a hospital where the condition of two is stated to be critical.

A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been summoned to help in the rescue operations. All the missing persons are from Daimalgarh village.