Jorhat, June 22: Commuters in Majuli experienced a moment of panic when a passenger ferry collided with a bridge pillar on the Brahmaputra River on Sunday morning.

The accident took place around 9:30 AM involving the MV Indra, which was carrying 40 passengers as it traveled from Afolamukh Ghat in Majuli to Nimatighat. The ferry lost control and struck a pillar of a bridge that is currently under construction.

Sources from the Inland Water Transport (IWT) Department indicated that a strong river current pushed the ferry off its intended path, leading to the collision. The impact caused several motorcycles on board to topple, resulting in moderate to significant damage to the vehicles. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries or fatalities.

At the time of the incident, the ferry was transporting 40 passengers along with 18 motorcycles. The passengers were understandably alarmed as the vessel tilted slightly due to the force of the collision.

An official from the IWT department stated, “MV Indra departed Afolamukh Ghat at 9:30 AM with 40 passengers and 18 bikes. The current near the bridge was extremely strong, pulling the ferry towards one of the pillars. The rear of the vessel struck the structure, causing a few vehicles to fall, but fortunately, no one was hurt.”

With the help of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the ferry was stabilized and safely escorted to Nimatighat, ensuring the well-being of all passengers.

In a related incident, a ferry named PL Digaru became stranded in the Brahmaputra River on Saturday while carrying approximately 45 individuals and several vehicles. It was en route from Nimatighat to Kamalabari Ghat.

The ferry had left Nimatighat around 8:30 AM and was just a kilometer away from Kamalabari Ghat when it became stuck on a sandbar in shallow waters.

The vessel remained immobilized for nearly 40 minutes, causing panic among the passengers on board.