Guwahati: On Monday, a loaded ferry was swept away by the strong currents of the mighty Brahmaputra after it experienced a mechanical glitch.
The ferry reportedly experienced a motor failure after it collided with a bridge that was being constructed across the river.
The passengers were in a state of panic after the ferry loaded with people, vehicles and other goods found itself being swept away across two poles of the under-construction bridge.
This incident took place on Monday evening at about 5:30 pm. The ferry which is called Baghbar was reportedly headed towards North Guwahati when the incident took place.
Adding to the fear was the realization that there were no rescue boats.
Fortunately, the ferry was later rescued by another ferry called Ropex which sailed towards the boat and saved the passengers' lives.
Just last month, a major ferry accident had taken place near the Nimati Ghat in Jorhat when two ferried were involved in a head-on collision. Though most of the passengers had been rescued, a few others had lost their lives in the incident.
This incident invited severe criticism from the general public for the Assam government officials. As a result, few officials responsible for overlooking the safety measures of the ferry were suspended. Additionally, the owner of the private ferry involved in the incident was also later arrested by the Assam police.
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