Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): A survivor from the tragic cruise accident at Jabalpur's Bargi Dam has revealed shocking details about the moments before the boat sank on Thursday.
Basic Safety Rules Missed
Sangita Kori, who was on board at the time of the incident, claimed that basic safety rules were not followed.
According to her, none of the passengers were initially given life jackets. She said the jackets were kept locked inside, not accessible to people during the ride.
When water started entering the boat, only then did the staff started distributing the life jackets. People rushed to grab the jackets, making it harder to balance the boat.
Inexperienced Driver
She claimed that the driver appeared inexperienced and failed to respond properly to warning signs.
According to her, people on the shore were signaling about possible danger, but both-- the driver and his assistant ignored these warnings.
Another survivor, Pradeep Kumar, said the driver was not listening to anyone despite warning signs.
According to him, there were only three crew members on board, the driver, an assistant, and another man and no proper safety staff were present for such uncertainity.
He further alleged that when the situation became critical, the crew did not make proper efforts to help passengers. Instead of guiding or assisting people, they appeared to focus on saving themselves, which may have added to the panic and confusion on the boat.
At the time of the accident, around 40 tourists were on board. The cruise eventually lost balance and sank, leading to a major rescue operation. So far, nine people have lost their lives, while many others were rescued. Some are still missing.
The revelations by the survivor have raised serious concerns about negligence and lack of proper safety measures.
Authorities are now investigating how such a major lapse was allowed at a popular tourist spot like Bargi Dam.
