13 children killed in boat capsizing on India’s Ganges river, AFP says

• Rescue teams recovered the bodies of 13 children after a boat capsized in India’s Ganges River in Bihar state on Tuesday night.
• The boat was carrying between 15 and 20 people who were travelling to attend a local festival, according to a district official.

Indian authorities said on Wednesday that rescue teams had recovered the bodies of 13 children after a boat carrying them capsized in the Ganges River in the eastern state of Bihar.

The children were travelling to attend a local celebration and festival. Varsha Singh, the district magistrate of Vaishali, told the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency that the boat was carrying between 15 and 20 people when it capsized on Tuesday night.

All the recovered victims were under the age of 15, she said, adding that authorities were still investigating the exact number of passengers on board.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the incident in an official statement, describing the loss of life in Vaishali as extremely painful. He also announced immediate financial compensation for the victims’ families, as search and rescue operations continued at the site.