13 drown as overloaded boat capsizes in India

HYDERABAD, India – At least 13 people drowned and others were missing after a crowded ferry capsized Sunday in the Krishna River in India, a government official said.

Another 20 people swam to safety or were rescued by villagers in the Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh state Home Minister N. Chinnarajappa said.

Police said the ferry riders were not wearing life jackets, The Press Trust of India news agency reported.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the tragedy was "anguishing."

"My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives," he said.

Thirty-eight people were on board when the ferry capsized while turning toward the river bank, officials said. Police and workers from the National Disaster Relief Force searched for those who were missing.

The state government ordered an inquiry into the accident, which occurred about 275 kilometers (170 miles) southeast of Hyderabad, the state capital.

Such accidents are common in India, where many ferries are poorly built and often overcrowded, and there is little regard for safety regulations such as providing life jackets.

Boats are often the main mode of transport in remote areas.