Maha boat capsize: 2 women drown, 13 rescued

Two women in Maharashtra are feared drowned as 18 hours have lapsed after a boat capsized at a remote spot on Indravati River, while 13 of their co passengers, including 10 men, were safely rescued, officials said here on Wednesday.

The incident happened late Tuesday when the boat carrying 15 villagers, including 5 women, suddenly overturned near Somanpalli village.

"Mobilising rescue teams immediately, we managed to rescue 10 men and 3 women while a search continues for the 2 missing women who are presumed dead," an official of Gadchiroli Police told IANS.

They have been identified as Kanta Satyam Yellam and Shanta Shivayya Gawde as the search continued 18 hours after they went missing.

The 15-member village party had gone to attend the 13th day post-funeral rites of some relative in Atukpalli village in the Bijapur district of adjoining Chhattisgarh state, on the other side of the river.

The tragedy occurred near the Somanpalli village on the return voyage. The search operation was resumed on Wednesday for the two missing women, the official said.