Rafting Mishap Averted in J&K as 13 People Rescued from Chenab River

08-05-2023 : On Monday, a raft carrying 13 people turned upside down in the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district after colliding with a bridge pillar. According to officials, all of the 13 passengers, including five women, fell into the river but were wearing life jackets. The rafting operators immediately initiated a rescue operation, and all the passengers were safely rescued.

The incident occurred when 24 people were returning from visiting the cave shrine of Shiv Khori, enjoying recreational activities on the river in two rafts when one of them hit the bridge in Baradari area. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, and all the passengers were rescued without any harm.

One of the rescued women expressed her gratitude towards Mata Vaishnodevi and Lord Shiva, who she believes saved their lives. She also stated that the rescue operation took more than half an hour, and the strong current of the river took them a long way, but they managed to hold each other’s hand and stay together.

Such incidents of recreational water activities turning into life-threatening ones are not uncommon. Proper safety measures, including the use of life jackets and thorough inspection of the equipment, should always be taken before embarking on such activities. The authorities should also ensure that the rafting operators follow safety protocols to avoid such accidents in the future.