GUWAHATI, September 9 : Rescue operations by teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) continued for the third day in succession even as there were no signs of the two “missing” passengers of the ill-fated ferry two days after it capsized at Nimatighat in Upper Assam’s Jorhat district.
NDRF sources here and in Upper Assam informed The Shillong Times that Bikramjit Baruah, an ENT surgeon from Jorhat, and Indreswar Borah, a school teacher from Lakhimpur, could not be traced till Friday evening.
“Three teams from 12 NDRF and one team from 1 NDRF are carrying out the operations but the missing persons are yet to be traced,” said an NDRF source, confirming that the search teams are also using SONAR (sound navigation ranging) technology to trace the missing persons.
“The teams are also taking the help of residents and boatmen of the area during the search. Helicopters have also been pressed into service during the search,” he said.
According to official sources, as many as 92 passengers were on board the boat, “Maa Kamala” when it collided with a ferry, MB Tipkai, operated by the inland water transport (IWT) coming from Kamalabari ghat in Majuli around 4.15pm on Wednesday.
One passenger, Parimita Das (30), a teacher of Rangachahi College in Majuli, lost her life. Eight nine passengers have been rescued.
Reportedly, the teams have extended the area of search operations a few kilometres downstream from the mishap site.
As many as 167 personnel of 1st Battalion NDRF team stationed at Jorhat and 12th Battalion NDRF team from Sivasagar, Dhemaji and Itanagar are conducting the search operation with 24 rescue boats and 30 deep divers.
Besides, 41 personnel, including nine deep divers of SDRF from Jorhat, Golaghat, Garmur (Majuli) and Bokakhat, are also engaged in the search with seven rescue boats.
The capsized boat was also cut open by NDRF and SDRF teams but no bodies were found inside.
Meanwhile, a bag containing PAN, voter and Aadhaar cards of Indreswar Bora’s wife, Ruprekha Bora was recovered at Biswanath Ghat on Friday.