Three killed, one missing as rafting boat capsizes

SILIGURI - Three people were killed and one was missing after a rafting boat with 11 on board capsized in the river Teesta in Kalimpong sub-division of West Bengal’s Darjeeling district. The other seven have been rescued.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Kalimpong) J. Dorji told reporters that the accident occurred at the 27 Mile area around noon.

Seven people were rescued, of whom three are in hospital, said the Kalimpong police station chief, inspector Puran Subba. Three bodies have been recovered and one is still missing, he said.

The victims had got into the Teesta in the rafting boat to search for an army soldier who has been missing for the last few days.

“But their boat hit some construction work of NHPC Limited and overturned. All the rescuers had put on life jackets. But as the water level in the river had increased due to heavy rain, the jackets could not protect them,” Subba said.