Jetboat accident on Saptakoshi: 3 dead, including a girl, 3 missing

A jetboat carrying passengers capsized on the Saptakoshi river on Sunday afternoon, killing three people. At least three others are missing in the accident.

The accident occurred around 2 pm near Triveni, the confluence point of Dhankuta, Udayapur and Bhojpur districts, on the Saptakoshi river. The jetboat, which was bringing passengers from Kopche in Bhojpur toward Barahkshetra and Chatara in Sunsari, capsized in the river.

According to Narayan Ranjitkar, chief of the District Police Office, Dhankuta, a girl, a woman and a man died in the accident. The girl who died is said to have been five years old. The identities of the deceased have not yet been disclosed. One person was injured in the accident.

Although tickets had been issued for 11 people to board the boat, it was found that 16 people were on board. Police have taken the boat operator, who survived by swimming, into custody and are carrying out further investigation.