Eight children drown as boat capsizes in Kerala river (Lead)

Eight schoolchildren were drowned Wednesday in yet another tragedy in Kerala when the boat they were travelling in capsized in Chaliyar river, officials said.

The victims included seven boys and a girl of the Moorkanand Higher Secondary School near Aarikode in Malappuram, around 25 km from Kozhikode.

The students were crossing the river after the school closed for the day. The boat had about 30 people on board and it capsized in the middle of the river around 4.45 p.m.

The casualties could have been higher but people ferrying sand from the river began rescue work immediately, saving several children. Many students also swam to safety.

Four children, who were initially reported missing, returned home and one injured student has been admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College hospital, a district official said.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has asked the Malappuram district collector to conduct an enquiry into the accident and submit a detailed report.

"We will do the needful to help the bereaved families and all aspects will be looked into," Achuthanandan to reporters.

Jojina, a girl who swam to safety, said the boat was overcrowded.

"The oarsman had warned that the boat was overloaded. When the boat reached the middle of the river, water started seeping into the boat and it soon turned upside down. While many of us swam to the banks, some of the students got help from locals who immediately came to our rescue," Jojina said.

Residents of the area said they had been demanding a bridge over the river for a long time.

"We have been demanding that a bridge be built across the river but it has fallen on deaf ears. The children use the ferry to cross the river because if they have to go by road they will have to change two buses. This ferry is mostly used by the students," said Ajayan, a resident of the area.

E.T. Mohammed Basheer, the Lok Sabha member from the district, said search operations had been called off as no more students were missing.

"Enquiries have been made at the residences of all the students and the search operations have more or less been called off," said Basheer.

On Sep 30, a boat had capsized in Kerala's Thekkady lake, killing 45 tourists.

Last updated on Nov 4^th, 2009 at 22:43 pm IST--IANS