9 drown, 4 missing after rescue boat overturns in Maharashtra

Sangli: Nine people drowned and four were missing after a boat engaged in rescue work overturned in a water body in Maharashtra's flood-hit Sangli district on Thursday, an official said.

The mishap took place near Brahmanal village in Palus tehsil when the private boat was carrying around 30 to 32 people affected by the flood to a safer place, Pune divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar said.

"Nine bodies have been recovered so far. Around 14 to 15 people, who fell from the boat after it overturned, swam to safety," he said.

Police officials and disaster management personnel were making all efforts to trace the missing persons, he said.

The private boat was being used by locals to rescue people stranded in the village affected by the flood following heavy rains in the district, sources said.

Brahmanal village is located on the banks of the Krishna river, which is in spate after the heavy downpour in the area.