A pall of gloom has descended on west Delhi's Khajan Basti as the locality mourns the loss of three members of a single family after a cruise boat sank in a dam on the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur on Thursday.
Three generations lost
Three generations of the Massey family -- 39-year-old Marina, her young son Trishan (4), and her mother Madhur (62) -- were killed when the boat carrying 35 to 40 passengers encountered strong winds and high waves. What was meant to be a joyful extension of a family housewarming in Jabalpur ended in heartbreaking tragedy.
Survivors left behind
Although Marina's father Julius, husband Pradeep, and their daughter Siya managed to survive, they are now left in a home that feels agonisingly empty. The sorrow is compounded by the fact that the boat ride was a spontaneous decision before the family was to return to Delhi.
Distress call and negligence
Marina's sister Treeza remains haunted by their frantic last communication. Speaking to TOI, she said, 'It was a one-minute video call in which Marina sought help once the placid waters of the dam suddenly turned choppy. After that, we found her phone switched off. I tried several times, but it remained unreachable. Later, we received a call informing us about the accident. It was sheer negligence that took away my family members.'
Marina's brother Kuldeep added that around 5:30 pm on Thursday, his sister made the first video call to Treeza, in which everything appeared normal. However, after 10 minutes, the weather began changing and Marina's distress call was received. 'In the call, my sister was pleading for help,' Kuldeep said.
Lack of rescue system
Kuldeep criticised the lack of a proper rescue system. 'There should have been dedicated rescue teams, along with adequate safety equipment,' he said, adding that locals saved his father using a rope. The losses feel particularly cruel when Treeza and Kuldeep speak of the lives interrupted: Marina, a dedicated homemaker, and little Trishan, who had just started preparatory school.
Demand for accountability
There is a growing demand for accountability from those left behind. Relatives of the Masseys alleged that the accident was entirely preventable, claiming that the boatman ignored passengers' pleas to return to the safety of the shore when the waters turned turbulent. The relatives also point to a pattern of poor safety regulation and a history of close calls at the spot.
