A large hole discovered in the boat that capsized in Bihar’s Vaishali district, killing 14 children on Tuesday, has raised questions over the vessel’s condition and possible overloading. The boat, which had reportedly been provided to a village in flood-prone Raghopur several years ago, was in a dilapidated state, according to eyewitnesses.
An examination of the boat after it was retrieved has revealed a large hole in one section, India Today's sister channel, Aaj Tak reported. The damage, combined with the number of children aboard, may have allowed water to enter the vessel and destabilise it, eventually causing it to capsize. However, the precise cause of the accident is yet to be officially established.
All 14 children who died in the tragedy were minors aged between 10 and 14 years, and 13 of them belonged to the same family.
A HOLE IN AN AGEING BOAT
Eyewitness Ravi Yadav told India Today that the children had travelled by boat to a neighbouring village to attend a shraddh (funeral) feast. He said the government had provided the village with a boat several years ago, but it had deteriorated considerably over time.
Yadav also said the children were operating the boat when the accident occurred, raising further questions about the circumstances in which the vessel was being used.
After the accident, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) retrieved the capsized boat from the river. A subsequent examination revealed a large hole in one part of the vessel.
HOW OVERLOADING MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED
The hole and the number of children aboard are among the factors that could explain why the boat capsized. If the damaged section sank lower into the water under the weight of the passengers, water may have entered through the opening. The resulting loss of stability could have caused the boat to overturn.
However, this remains a possible explanation rather than a confirmed sequence of events. The extent to which the hole, overloading and the boat’s overall condition contributed to the tragedy will be established only after an official investigation.
QUESTIONS OVER BOAT SAFETY
Former Raghopur MLA and BJP leader Satish Rai also pointed to the boat’s poor condition, telling reporters that the area is prone to flooding and that the village had received the vessel several years ago.
The accounts have brought the condition of the boat into focus, particularly whether it was fit for use and whether adequate precautions were taken while ferrying the children.
The tragedy has also highlighted concerns over the use of ageing boats in flood-prone areas, where river transport can be essential for movement between villages. The official investigation will need to establish the circumstances of the capsizing and whether lapses in maintaining or operating the boat contributed to the deaths.
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