Jabalpur Cruise Tragedy: 'Cruise Was Just 50 Meters From Bank,' Operator Mahesh Shares Personal Experience, Reveals Technical Issues -- VIDEO
· Free Press Journal
Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): The tragic capsize of a cruise at Jabalpur’s Bargi Dam, which claimed 13 lives, continues to cause panic even days after the incident.
Families of two passengers are still waiting for information about their missing loved ones, while others are left with several unanswered questions. So far, 28 people have been rescued, and efforts are underway to find the remaining missing persons
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Rescue teams including NDRF, SDRF and a special Army diving team are carrying out search operations at present.
VIDEO | Jabalpur cruise tragedy: NDRF recovered another body earlier today during the ongoing rescue operation, taking the death toll in the cruise boat tragedy to 12. The search operation continues for one missing person.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 3, 2026
The boat capsized during a storm on Thursday evening,… pic.twitter.com/5BZQssmEB6
‘Cruise was just 50 meters from bank’
Meanwhile, the pilot, Mahesh Patel (45), a resident of Ghullapat village in Bargi, shared his personal experience after the mishap.
VIDEO | Jabalpur cruise tragedy: Mahesh Patel, Assistant Cruise Pilot, says, “No one can escape the wrath of nature; it's a different kind of force.. We've served them for 20 years. Now, let’s see what action they (the authorities) will take.”
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 3, 2026
On the viral video, he says, “We… pic.twitter.com/PfeHlHNErE
He said the cruise started its journey at around 5:16 pm on April 30, and had nearly completed 30 - 35 minutes of travel when a sudden storm and strong winds hit the area.
Patel said he tried to steer the cruise towards the shore, but the weather worsened quickly. When the boat was about 50 metres from the bank, water started entering it.
VIDEO | Jabalpur cruise tragedy: Mahesh Patel, Assistant Cruise Pilot, says, “A few people had kept their life jackets aside and weren't wearing them. When the water started rushing in… Since my cabin is on the upper deck, I couldn't fully observe the situation on the lower… pic.twitter.com/2plVJJM728
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 3, 2026
He immediately called for help and asked for boats, but within minutes, the situation went out of control and the cruise overturned, causing panic among passengers.
He said all passengers were given life jackets and staff were instructed to ensure safety. However, the sudden storm created chaos, and many people struggled to escape.
On the number of passengers, Patel said around 32 had tickets, but with additional people and staff, the total number was about 37, excluding small children.
Jabalpur Cruise Tragedy: '3 Ghante Tak Pani Me Tha,' 72-Year-Old Survivor Narrates Terrifying Experience; Wife & Relatives Still Missing -- VIDEOVIDEO | Jabalpur cruise boat tragedy: Search operation continues on third day to trace four missing passengers.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 2, 2026
Bargi city SP Anjul Ayank Mishra says, “In the Bargi incident, around 28 people were rescued alive, while nine bodies have been recovered so far. About four people are… pic.twitter.com/zgVBAm9pRB
‘Engine had technical issues’
He also revealed that one engine of the cruise had a technical issue, running below normal capacity.
He had filed a complaint about it three months ago, but no major inspection had been carried out in the past one and a half years.
However, he maintained that the accident was caused by the sudden storm, not the engine problem.
MP Cruise Tragedy: Video Shows Passengers Without Life Jackets Moments Before Weather Turns Joyride Fatal In JabalpurVIDEO | Jabalpur cruise tragedy: Bargi MLA Neeraj Singh says, “It's almost the fourth day. Based on the reported numbers, only one person needs to be rescued. The rescue search operation began around 4:30 in the morning today, and around 5:30 a.m, the body of the nine-year-old… pic.twitter.com/ozoZvutak7
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 3, 2026
‘No weather alert given’
Patel claimed that no weather alert was given to him before the trip. He questioned the action taken against him, saying he is being blamed unfairly.
He expressed grief over the incident, saying he cannot forget the scene and feels deep pain for the victims’ families.
Following the incident, he has been dismissed from service.
The tragedy has raised serious concerns over safety measures, technical inspections, and weather alert systems.
Authorities are investigating whether the accident was purely due to natural causes or if negligence also played a role.
Jabalpur Cruise Tragedy: 'Inexperienced Driver, Life Jackets Were Given After Water Entered Boat,’ Survivor Narrates Ordeal Of Last Few Minutes Before Cruise Lost Control-- VIDEO