Bhubaneswar: One child died, seven went missing and three others swam to safety when a country boat ferrying eleven people capsized in Sileru river under Chitrakonda Police station of Malkangiri district last night.
Sources said the mishap occurred when the people working as migrant workers in a brick kiln in Telangana were returning to their home in Malkangiri district after the brick kiln was closed due to Covid pandemic.
Initially, the migrant workers boarded two boats to reach their home. But they switched over to one boat after the other boat accidentally hit a pole and capsized.
The second boat lost balance and capsized after eleven people boarded it. Later, the body of a child was fished out of the river.
Rescue and search teams of NDRF, ODRAF and fire service personnel have launched a massive search operation since early hours today to trace the missing persons.