9 family members among 17 killed in US boat tragedy
Washington, July 21 : Nine of the 17 people who died when a tour boat sank in a Missouri lake in the US on Thursday were from the same family, according to the state's governor.
Governor Michael Parson said that he spoke to the woman who has also accused the boat's captain for putting the lives of the passengers in danger by suggesting "not to put on life jackets", the BBC reported.
The sightseeing "duck boat" is a modification of a World War II design vessel meant to deliver people and materials ashore where no port facilities existed.
On Thursday the duck boat on the popular Table Rock Lake was carrying 31 people when it overturned. Missouri Highway Patrol said the ages of the deceased range from one to 70.
A Fox59 News quoted Tia Coleman who said she lost all her children, her husband, parents-in-law, an uncle, her sister-in-law and her nephew.
"The captain told us 'Don't worry about grabbing the life jackets, you won't need them,' so nobody grabbed them because we listened to the captain and he told us to stay seated," the BBC quoted Coleman as saying.
She said by the time the riders tried to grab the life jackets it was too late. "I believe that a lot of people could have been spared."
The captain was among those who survived. He is now in a hospital. The vessel began taking on water shortly before 7 p.m. on Thursday. Video footage shot by a witness on shore showed two duck boats struggling through choppy waters and spray, the BBC reported.
One of the boats made it to shore but the other was driven back by the wind and eventually overwhelmed.
Missouri law requires all children under the age of seven to wear life jackets on boats, unless they are in the "cabin area", the BBC said. The vessel sank in 40ft of water before plunging to a final depth of 80ft.
Sheriff Doug Rader said divers have located the sunken boat and would try to recover it.
Jim Pattison Jr, the tour boat company owner, said the storm appeared to have taken people in the area by surprise. The boat, he told the US media, "shouldn't have been in the water".
"Usually the lake is very placid and it's not a long tour, they go in and kind of around an island and back.
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Actor Esha Gupta returns to India after being stuck in UAE, says it was a ‘tough’ situation
Mumbai (PTI): Actor Esha Gupta on Tuesday said she has safely returned to India after being stranded in the United Arab Emirates amid escalating tension due to the Israel-US attack on Iran.
“Back home. Thank you all for your prayers and wishes. It was very tough to be in the situation we all faced. Truly God’s blessing to be safe,” Gupta said in a statement posted on Instagram.
Tensions in the middle east have escalated following a coordinated offensive launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28. Iran responded by firing drones and missiles at Israel and US military installations across the Gulf, and also at the global business hub of Dubai.
The actor, best known for “Jannat 2”, “Rustom” and “Total Dhamaal”, also recounted the tense atmosphere at the Abu Dhabi airport.
“It started when I was at the airport on the 28th (Saturday). By 1 p.m., the airport was closed, chaos all around as none of us knew what had happened. Then the news started coming of the missile attack, and no one knew what the next minute held for us. Strangers consoled each other, all calling their families back home,” Gupta said.
The actor lauded the “strength” and the “composure” of the Abu Dhabi International Airport staff and added that ground security and airport personnel acted immediately to maintain order.
“I hadn’t checked in myself by then, so I took a turn and left for my hotel in Abu Dhabi,” she said, adding that passengers were provided accommodations at available hotels and highlighting the dedication of hotel staff during such a tense situation.
She further said the hotel management answered all their questions patiently to the best of their ability and that there was no shortage of any service.
“The lobby was full of people, including us, scared due to the security alert, but there was no chaos. The hotel security kept reassuring everyone. Not once did we see the people, all scared internally, create stress; we were all in this together,” Gupta said and even thanked the airline staff for their assistance.
“All this shows just the backbone of a country and its strength; they took action when needed, no blaming anyone, just strong decisions. Thank you to everyone who helped and is helping people of the world get back home. Your country is truly special,” she said.
Gupta concluded her post by thanking everyone who helped ensure her safe return.
“Thank you for our government for providing its citizens with reassurance and working towards getting us all back. Thank you to UAE government in working in solidarity with every country for the citizens of the world,” she said.
Actor Sonal Chauhan also updated her fans and admirers that she is heading back home after being stranded in Dubai.
The actor shared the update through her Instagram Stories with a few videos showing her travelling in a car on her way to the airport, with the song ‘Coming Home’ by Skylar Grey playing in the backdrop.
