On Thursday, January 18, 2024, a school picnic on Harni Lake in Vadodara, a prominent city in Gujarat, India, ended tragically when a boat carrying a school group capsized, leading to the loss of 12 students and two teachers.
Fire service officials reported that the boat, part of a private school excursion, overturned in the lake. Despite the rescue of at least 11 students, the tragedy resulted in fatalities.
Jitu Parmar, a fire officer in Vadodara, confirmed that rescue efforts were ongoing for a missing person, and the cause of the accident was under investigation.
Bhupendra Patel, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, expressed deep sorrow over the incident, terming it as “extremely heartbreaking.” This tragedy has had a profound effect on the local community and beyond.
The incident highlighted a recurring issue in India: the lack of adequate safety measures on many vessels.
The boat was significantly overcrowded, with reports from the Hindustan Times indicating more than 31 people aboard despite a maximum capacity of 14. Several people from the boating facility and project managers who developed the lake destination were arrested for safety violations.
No one was wearing a life jacket. This negligence has been a factor in past incidents, such as in May of the previous year, when a double-decker boat carrying over 30 passengers capsized in Kerala state, resulting in 22 fatalities.
Similarly, in May 2018, 30 people perished when their boat capsized on the swollen Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh.
Overcrowding and the absence of life jackets are being investigated as primary causes of the accident. Legal actions have been initiated against the boat operators, Sri Kotiya Project, under culpable homicide charges.
In response to the tragedy, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have announced financial compensation for the families of the deceased. An inquiry has been ordered to scrutinize the roles of school authorities and boat operators in the accident.