Jabalpur cruise capsize: Viral video shows mother in lifejacket clutching her son before their deaths

A viral video shows a mother clutching her four-year-old son in a final embrace moments before a cruise capsized in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur, which claimed nine lives. The clip from inside the vessel shows the woman, wearing a life jacket, holding her child as passengers hurriedly passed around life jackets while water entered the boat.

The mother and the son can be seen on the left side of the footage during the final moments before the cruise overturned in the Bargi dam reservoir on Thursday evening. Hours later, rescuers recovered their bodies from the water, still wrapped together in the same life jacket, which became the most haunting image of the tragedy.

The emotional recovery left family members in tears as their bodies were brought ashore. Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister Rakesh Singh, who visited the site, was visibly moved by the scene and could not hold back his tears.

The river cruise, carrying around 30 passengers, overturned after being caught in a sudden storm. Officials said strong winds lashed the reservoir around 6 pm, turning the waters rough and making the boat unstable.

Eyewitnesses claimed passengers repeatedly urged the crew to return to shore as weather conditions worsened, but the boat drifted further into the reservoir before capsizing.

So far, 22 people have been rescued, while search operations continue for those still missing. Teams from the SDRF, local police and district administration remain engaged in rescue efforts around the clock.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the state government was extending all possible support to affected families and continuing efforts to locate the missing.

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Published By:

Prateek Chakraborty

Published On:

May 2, 2026 00:05 IST