Six missing, including four children, after boat sinks in Assam’s Barpeta

At least six people went missing after a machine-operated country boat sank in the Brahmaputra river in Assam’s Barpeta district , officials said on Wednesday, as search operations continued for a second day.

The incident occurred on Tuesday when the boat, carrying 22 passengers , was travelling from Rahampur to Borghul char , a riverine vegetative island. According to Barpeta Revenue Circle field officer Jyotirmoy Choudhury, the vessel reportedly hit a whirlpool mid-journey and capsized .

While most of the passengers were rescued with the help of a nearby boat, four of the missing are children , officials said, raising concerns over the intensity of the river current at the time of the accident.

The National Disaster Response Force joined the search operation , working alongside the State Disaster Response Force, police, district administration and local volunteers. Despite extensive efforts, no trace of the missing persons has been found so far , authorities said.

Officials identified the missing as Madhu Mia (60), Sukurjan Nesa (45), Amina Parbin (8), Rahul Amin (7), Aryan Islam (4) and Junufa Yasmin (5), all residents of Goroimari. Rescue teams said strong currents and poor visibility were hampering operations, while concerns were also raised about the absence of life jackets and basic safety equipment on the boat.