Inside deadly Bargi Dam cruise tragedy:Even after death, child held mother tightly

A recreational cruise ride at the Bargi Dam in Jabalpur turned into a devastating tragedy on Thursday evening, leaving multiple dead, several injured, and four people still missing as of the latest updates.
Eyewitness accounts describe the incident not as a simple accident, but a fast-unfolding catastrophe that shocked everyone on board and onshore alike. “Weather changed within minutes,” says survivor Survivor Siya, who was on board with her father Pradeep, recalled that the group boarded the cruise around 5:30 pm despite cloudy, rainy weather. Within minutes, conditions deteriorated sharply. Strong winds picked up, followed by a sudden storm that rocked the vessel. As panic spread, passengers moved to the lower deck, but reportedly no life jackets were initially provided. In a desperate attempt to survive, Siya’s father and another passenger broke open a locker to retrieve life jackets. Soon after, water began flooding inside the cruise, which started tilting dangerously. A broken window finally gave Siya and her father a chance to escape. They jumped into the water along with others who managed to wear life jackets. However, before everyone could get out, the cruise overturned completely.
Siya’s mother and younger brother remained trapped inside. Locals, workers and a diver help save lives Construction workers near an under-construction bridge immediately jumped into the river as the cruise sank. They reportedly saved at least five people.
A scuba diver from Israel, Savita, also played a crucial role by rescuing her four family members. Additionally, six passengers managed to swim out using life jackets, while rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rescued several others. In total, 22 people were rescued, though the emotional trauma at the site was intense, with many searching for missing family members.
Political Leaders and Officials Rush to the Site As rescue operations intensified, senior officials and political leaders arrived at the scene, including Minister Rakesh Singh and officials such as IG Pramod Verma, district collectors, and police officers. Later in the night, Tourism Minister Dharmendra Lodhi also reached the site. Congress and BJP leaders, along with administrative teams, coordinated closely as the situation evolved rapidly. Four-hour ordeal inside the sunken cruise One of the most dramatic rescues involved Riyaz Khan, who remained trapped inside the cruise for nearly four hours before being rescued using gas cutters around 10 pm.
Heavy rain and strong winds repeatedly disrupted operations, forcing rescue teams to pause multiple times. Night-long operation: Wire breaks and Failed attempts Efforts to pull out the submerged cruise using hydraulic machines faced repeated failures. Rescue teams attempted to secure wires seven times, but each attempt ended with the cable snapping under pressure.
Teams from NDRF and SDRF worked through the night, creating a temporary access path of nearly 70 feet to reach the wreckage.
Despite continuous efforts, the cruise could not be pulled out due to mechanical strain and unstable underwater conditions. Morning breakthrough: Diving team recovers bodies By early morning, a 10-member diving team from Agra’s 411 Para Field Company arrived and managed to access the submerged vessel. Within minutes of entering, the team began recovering bodies. Five, six, and then seven bodies were retrieved in quick succession, deepening the grief at the site. Heart-wrenching discovery: Mother found holding her child At around 7:50 am, rescuers made one of the most distressing discoveries of the operation. A woman identified as Marina, wife of Pradeep, was found dead while tightly holding her young son Trishaan in her arms. Rescue personnel described the recovery as extremely difficult and emotionally overwhelming. “The woman had tightly held the child. Even pulling them out was difficult,” a team member said. The moment triggered mass grief at the site, with bystanders breaking down as the bodies were brought out. Rescue continues, search for missing persons ongoing As of the latest updates, rescue operations remain ongoing, with four people still unaccounted for.
Senior officials, including Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, visited the site, reviewed operations, and interacted with rescue teams. The incident has now become one of the most severe river-cruise disasters reported in the region, with investigations expected to follow.