The incident occurred on Thursday evening when a cruise vessel operated by the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department, carrying around 40 passengers, overturned after being struck by sudden strong winds and high waves near Bargi Reservoir on the Narmada River.
The Massey family from the Delhi Cantonment area of Delhi had travelled to Jabalpur to attend a housewarming ceremony at a relative’s residence. After the function on Tuesday, the family decided to extend their stay for sightseeing before their planned return to Delhi.
The deceased have been identified as Marina Massey, aged 39; her four-year-old son Trishan, also known as Jahan; and her mother, Madhur Massey, aged 62. Marina’s husband, Pradeep; their 14-year-old daughter Siya, also called Pihu; and Marina’s father, Julius Massey, aged 65, survived the incident.
According to family members, the group boarded the cruise for an evening sightseeing trip when weather conditions deteriorated rapidly. Marina was reportedly on a video call with relatives when she described the changing conditions moments before communication was abruptly lost.
Her brother, Kuldeep Mohan, stated that passengers initially remained on the upper deck when the weather turned violent. As waves intensified, panic spread across the vessel, forcing passengers to rush to the lower deck as water began entering the boat.
He said Pradeep Massey attempted to distribute life jackets after opening sealed safety packets, while chaos unfolded on board. Some passengers managed to wear life jackets, while others jumped into the water in desperation.
Local villagers assisted in rescuing several individuals who entered the water, using ropes and improvised rescue equipment. Julius Massey was among those rescued alive.
Pradeep Massey, who reportedly knew swimming, managed to save himself and his teenage daughter. However, he was later unable to locate Marina, their younger son, and his mother-in-law, who are believed to have been trapped beneath the overturned vessel.
Family members alleged serious negligence on the part of operators and authorities, stating that a yellow weather alert had already been issued prior to the cruise departure. They claimed passengers were not warned of dangerous weather conditions and that the vessel should not have been allowed to operate.
Relatives also questioned the absence of a permanent emergency rescue system at the tourist site, noting that the boat capsized only around 150 to 200 meters from the shore, yet rescue efforts were severely challenged by strong waves pushing people away from safety.
Another relative, Sangeeta Kori, alleged that the vessel may have been overloaded and claimed villagers had attempted to signal the operator to steer toward a safer route. She further stated that warnings were ignored, contributing to the disaster.
Five additional bodies were recovered on Friday from the Bargi Reservoir, raising the death toll to nine. Authorities confirmed that six individuals remained missing while search and rescue operations continued. A total of 28 passengers were successfully rescued.
Following mounting allegations of negligence, lack of life jackets, and safety failures, the state administration ordered a formal investigation into the incident and dismissed three members of the boat’s crew.
The tragedy has intensified scrutiny over tourist safety protocols at water-based recreational sites in Madhya Pradesh, raising urgent questions about enforcement, emergency preparedness, and accountability in the wake of preventable loss of life.
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