17 school children die in Kashmir boat capsize

Baramulla, May 30 (UNI) In a tragic incident, at least 17 school children, on an excursion, drowned as their boat capsized in Wullar lake in north Kashmir today, police said.

However, sources said among the dead were 15 school children, a teacher and peon.

A defence spokesman said in Srinagar that 16 bodies -- five boys and 11 girls in the age group of 7-14 years -- besides their teacher have been recovered from the lake. He said 12 children and another teacher were rescued from the lake.

The sources said altogether 78 children and the staff of Borne Tyndle Public school, Handwara in Kupwara district had gone on the excursion and about 30-40 of them were in one of the two boats when it capsized.

The other boat ferrying almost about the same number of children returned safe to the shores, they added.

The sources said the rescue operation has been called off after all the remaining 63 children were saved.

However, they said two Navy officials were still missing.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has expressed grief and sorrow over the death of school children.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Baramulla Mohammad Subhan Lone told UNI that 17 school children died when their boat capsized in the Wullar lake in Watlab area of Sopore in Baramulla district this afternoon.

The spokesman said the school children were on a picnic to Wullar lake, the second largest Lake in Asia, in the Baramulla district.

The children had requested the Indian Navy men, deployed in the lake for counter-insurgency operations, to take them for a ride on the motorboat, he added.

He said the sailors, after getting permission from their officer, took the children in two boats. However, when one of the boats reached the middle of the lake, it capsized.

Navy officials and others present there immediately jumped into the lake and saved a number of children, the spokesman added.

He said a rescued teacher was in a state of shock and had been admitted to the Sub-District Hospital, Sopore UNI XC-AG HS KP2323