Bhubaneswar: All 70 passengers on board the boat, which was swept away in the Mahanadi at Mahalalapada, Kendrapada, were rescued in a daring night rescue operation by Odisha Fire Service personnel, ODRAF and Marine Police on Saturday.
Collector Amrit Ruturah informed that all the passengers were rescued and brought to Kharinasi and Bahakud jetty points by a team of fire officials, Jamboo marine police and local boatsmen. All are safe now and have reached the landmass near the ghats, he tweeted.
“Due to heavy current, the boat washed away near the mouth of the sea. Though it was risky, we rescued all 70 people who were stuck there, without any casualties,” Marine Police Official, Mahakalpada, Prakash Chandra Sahu told ANI.
According to sources, the motor-driven boat left Paradip to ferry the passengers to Bahakud ghat in Mahakalpada in the afternoon. While the boat was halfway through, its engine stopped working. The strong current in Mahanadi, which is in spate due to heavy rain for the last few days, drove the boat for 4-5 km towards the sea.
They were stranded for almost two hours in the Mahanadi river mouth near the sea.
The passengers were being ferried illegally since the district administration had banned the operation of boats in the river due to the deep depression. “As flood water was released into Mahanadi river from Hirakud dam, the boats were barred from entering the river. Boat service was started illegally. We will take appropriate action against the boatman,” said Mahakalapada block development officer Debashis Rout.
In another incident, the ODRAF team rescued 12 persons, including 3 children,n trapped in Jalaka floodwaters in Baharda gram panchayat of Basta block in Balasore.
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