Bhubaneswar: A major mishap was averted in Chilika Lake on Wednesday morning after a passenger boat developed a technical glitch mid-water and got stranded.
According to reports, the boat had left Jahnikuda for Satapada under Krushnaprasad block in Puri district at around 7 am, carrying over 50 passengers and more than 25 motorcycles. A few minutes after departure, the boat developed a mechanical fault near Mainsa village in the middle of Chilika and got stuck. With deep water all around and the boat overloaded, passengers panicked and started shouting for help. Several children were also on board, sources said.
Later, another boat reached the spot and rescued all the passengers and motorcycles and took them to Satapada safely. No casualties were reported.
It is pertinent to mention that thousands of passengers commute daily through this Chilika route. However, such incidents have become routine every month. Locals alleged that boat operators carry passengers beyond capacity out of greed for money, while the district administration remains a mute spectator.
