NDRF and other rescue personnel conduct an operation to recover the cruise boat, carrying 29 passengers and two crew members, that overturned in Bargi Dam due to a sudden storm, in Jabalpur district, Madhya Pradesh, Friday, May 1, 2026. The death toll rose to nine and 28 others were rescued after the incident. (PTI Photo)
The cruise boat tragedy that left at least nine people dead in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur district was likely triggered by a combination of factors, including a sudden storm and the vessel’s shifting centre of gravity as passengers moved between its upper and lower decks, the District Collector said.
The incident took place on Thursday evening in the Bargi Dam area near Jabalpur city. According to Collector Raghvendra Singh, the boat, which had the capacity to hold around 90 people, was carrying just around 40 passengers. What started out as a leisure cruise in the Bargi Dam reservoir quickly turned into a nightmarish situation for those on board, with the boat capsizing and sinking with several people still inside. By Friday, nine bodies had been recovered, and 28 people were rescued. The dead included a four-year-old child.
The District Collector told The Indian Express that after the cruise got going, a sudden, strong storm appeared. Many passengers had also initially gathered on the upper deck, drawn by open space and activity, he said.
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“When everyone went upstairs, the centre of gravity fluctuated. The boat began to sway violently. People started running from one side to another to balance themselves. That led to instability,” he said, adding that the movement likely caused water to enter the lower sections. Once flooding began, those who had returned or were already on the lower deck got trapped.
According to senior officials and rescue personnel, the sequence of events that led to the accident started even before the cruise began. A weather advisory warning of 40–50 kmph winds had been issued a day earlier. Despite this, the cruise, part of a tourism operation running since 2006, began around 4.30 pm. Collector Singh said that as per protocol, the boat was allowed to operate since it could purportedly withstand the impact of the high-speed winds.
By Friday evening, the government had taken action against several personnel.
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The services of cruise pilot Mahesh Patel, a helper and the ticket counter in-charge were terminated. Manager Sunil Maravi of the government-run Maikal Resort and Boat Club, Bargi, was suspended for negligence, and Regional Manager Sanjay Malhotra has been attached to headquarters.
A departmental inquiry has been instituted. It will be carried out by a committee comprising the Director General of Home Guards and Civil Defence, a secretary of the Madhya Pradesh government, and the Commissioner of Jabalpur Division. The committee will examine key aspects such as the causes of the accident, compliance with cruise operation rules, and other relevant factors.
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A standard operating procedure (SOP) for cruise operations will be formulated through the tourism department to avoid such mishaps, the government has said.
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