16 Dead in Boat Accident in India's Harni Lake

Overcrowding and lack of safety equipment cited as causes; legal action initiated against boat operators.

16 people, including 14 students and 2 teachers, drowned after a boat capsized in Harni Lake, Vadodara, Gujarat, during a school picnic.
The boat was overcrowded, carrying 27 passengers, despite a capacity for only 16, and lacked necessary safety equipment including life jackets.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Gujarat state government have announced compensation for the families of the deceased and injured.
A case has been registered against 18 people, including the operators of the boat, Messrs Kotia Project, for gross negligence and recklessness.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with local and national disaster response forces engaged in the search for missing persons.