By IANS,
Thekkady (Kerala) : At least four people – two children and two women – drowned when a boat carrying 75 tourists sank in the catchment area of the Mullaperiyar river in Kerala Wednesday evening, police said.
The bodies of two children and two women had been recovered, Idukki Superintendent of Police Kuttapan said.
State Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said officials of the district administration, forest department and police along with divers had reached the site and rescue operations were on.
“Since it is dark now we have made arrangements for lights at the site. Details are awaited,” said Balakrishnan.
The boat, belonging to the state-run Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, sank at about 5.15 p.m. It was carrying a group of tourists from Karnataka besides a few foreign tourists, according to initial reports.
The accident site was about a half hour journey from the starting point of the boating trip.