7 persons missing in Assam boat capsize

Dhubri (Assam): Seven persons are missing after a mechanised boat carrying 29 passengers capsized in the Brahmaputra river in Dhubri district of Assam on Thursday, a government official said.

Twenty two people, including some school students, have been rescued so far by SDRF and local people and operations are on by them and BSF personnel to save the others, district deputy commissioner Anbamuthan MP said.

The mechanised boat had capsized after hitting the post of a bridge at Bhashanir area, about three km from Dhubri town, the DC told.

The boat has been located and efforts are on to lift it with the help of cranes used for construction of a nearby bridge, he said.

Locals joined the rescue operation with country boats and divers from SDRF have also been deployed to rescue the missing, the DC said.

The rescued have been admitted to a nearby hospital where the condition of five of them was stated to be serious, Anbamuthan said.

He said that there is no information about how many students were there in the boat but there are no reports of any of them missing.