Bihar Boat Tragedy: 6 Labourers Missing After Boat Capsizes in Bhagalpur’s Naugachia

Bhagalpur: At least six labourers are feared missing after a boat carrying workers capsized in the Ganga river in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district on Wednesday while they were travelling for flood-fighting and embankment repair work.

The incident took place in the Raghopur area under Naugachia police district, where the labourers were engaged in work related to repairing an embankment and tackling the flood situation. According to reports, the boat overturned amid the strong current of the Ganga.

According to reports, 18 labourers were aboard the boat when it capsized. Twelve workers managed to swim to safety and reached the riverbank, while six others are feared missing. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), along with divers and local rescuers, launched a search operation after being alerted about the accident.

Officials and rescue personnel reached the spot with motorboats and began searching the river for the missing workers. Rescue teams are also checking the area around the overturned boat amid concerns that some labourers could have been trapped underneath it.

However, some reports put the number of people aboard the boat at 22 and said 21 labourers had been rescued, with one person still missing. The discrepancy in the reported numbers could not immediately be independently reconciled.

The accident occurred amid ongoing flood-control operations in the Raghopur area. Allegedly, an embankment breach had been reported in the area around two days earlier, following which repair and flood-fighting work was being carried out on a war footing.

The incident has triggered an urgent rescue response as teams continue their search in the fast-flowing Ganga. Authorities are monitoring the flood situation in the region and have stepped up preparedness amid concerns over rising water levels and damage to embankments.

The search operation for the missing labourers is currently underway.

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