Narmada Cruise Tragedy: 3 Family Members Die, Funeral Held in Dwarka

A recent cruise accident at the Bargi Dam on the Narmada River in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, has left everyone deeply shaken. Several tourists lost their lives in the tragedy. There were approximately 40 people on board the vessel. Due to a sudden storm, strong winds and high waves surged across the Narmada River, causing the boat to capsize. Numerous images of this horrific incident have flooded social media, including one particularly poignant photograph from Dwarka. The incident claimed the lives of 11 people, while 28 others were successfully rescued. Among the victims were three members of a single family whose final rites were performed in Dwarka.

A daughter, a mother, and a grandson—all belonging to the same family—lost their lives. The images emerging from the funeral proceedings in Dwarka are truly heart-wrenching. As the bodies were laid to rest at the Christian cemetery in Dwarka, everyone present was moved to tears. This tragedy has left Prabhakar's family in a state of profound shock. Speaking to the media, Prabhakar recounted that he was traveling on the cruise with five of his relatives: his wife Marina, their two children, and his in-laws—Julius Massey (65) and Madhur Massey (62). Of the six family members on board, only Prabhakar, his 14-year-old daughter Siya, and Julius survived.

Recalling the tragedy, Prabhakar stated that he witnessed Marina and his son drowning right before his eyes; the mere recollection of that horrific moment now leaves him emotionally shattered. Julius, too, expressed that until the very last moment, he held onto the hope that his daughter and grandson would survive. Julius continues, "Just the day before, we had attended a housewarming party and were looking forward to our cruise trip. We were all seated on the ship's upper deck. When the water began to surge in, I told my wife and daughter to head downstairs. I hadn't fully realized at the time that the lower deck would be the first to be inundated. In the midst of a tragedy, one’s capacity for rational thought simply vanishes." Julius alleged that, amidst the ensuing chaos, not a single member of the cruise staff came forward to offer assistance. "My son-in-law had to break the lock on the cabinet containing the life jackets. We began putting them on... When the boat capsized, I—being positioned on the outer edge—was thrown into the water. I somehow managed to grab hold of a flotation tube and pull myself out of the water," he recounted. He added, "But I held onto the hope that my daughter and grandson would be safe and sound."