JABALPUR: A sightseeing trip on the Bargi dam reservoir turned into a nightmare for 70-year-old Syed Riaz Hussain, who survived for nearly three hours trapped inside an overturned cruise boat after it capsized, while two of his family members lost their lives.
Hussain, a retired work manager from the Khamaria Ordnance Factory, had boarded the Madhya Pradesh Tourism cruise on April 30 along with his wife Reshma (65), his daughter’s mother-in-law Shamim Naqvi (65), and his 13-year-old grandson Zafar.
The family had purchased tickets for the lower deck of the boat, a section enclosed with floor-to-ceiling glass panels that allowed passengers to view the water and fish below. Tickets for the lower deck cost Rs 200, while upper-deck seats were priced at Rs 160.
Within hours, the outing turned tragic when the boat capsized, claiming 13 lives. Hussain became the last person to be rescued.
At around 8.30 pm, rescue teams located the overturned vessel near the edge of the reservoir in complete darkness. Inside, Hussain was found clinging to an iron angle attached to what had once been the floor of the boat but had become the ceiling after the vessel flipped over.
“There was absolute darkness around me. I was just waiting for the end,” Hussain recalled.
For nearly two hours, he remained trapped inside the partially submerged lower deck. During that time, he witnessed both his wife Reshma and Shamim Naqvi drown as water rapidly flooded the cabin.
He also had no information about the fate of his grandson Zafar.
According to Hussain, a section of the glass enclosure had shattered during the accident, allowing some passengers to escape. However, the broken glass also caused water to rush into the lower deck, trapping others inside.
Hussain survived by holding onto an iron support in one corner of the cabin. Though most of his body remained underwater, his head stayed above the surface. A small opening in the metal flooring — now positioned above him after the boat overturned — allowed some fresh air to enter.
For hours, he repeatedly banged on the metal surface, hoping rescuers would hear him.
“Every moment felt like waiting for death,” he said.
Finally, at around 8.30 pm, he heard faint sounds from outside. Using the little strength he had left, he struck the metal surface again.
“That’s when I heard a voice from outside saying someone is alive inside,” Hussain said.
