6 students dead and 21 missing as picnic boat carrying schoolchildren capsizes in Vadodara's Harni Lake

Six children were killed on Thursday after a boat with 27 students on board capsized in Harni Lake on the outskirts of Vadodara city in Gujarat.

The Vadodara boat capsizes: At least six schoolchildren have died while 21 others are being traced after a boat they were on capsized in a lake in Gujarat's Vadodara city on Thursday. According to officials, as many as 27 children were on board the boat when it capsized in Harni Lake on the outskirts of Vadodara city.

The students were at a school picnic, officials said, adding that a search and rescue operation was underway to locate the remaining children at the lake.

Gujarat Education Minister Kuber Dindor said the rescue operation is in full swing to trace the missing children and NDRF sleuths and fire and emergency services have been called in.

VIDEO | Boat carrying students capsizes in a lake in Vadodara in Gujarat; casualties are feared. More details were expected. pic.twitter.com/UbFFbqofjN

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“I just learned that six children were killed after a boat with students on board overturned in a lake,” Dindor said.

“Rescue operations are underway. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and fire brigade personnel are working along with other agencies,” he said.

Vadodara District Collector AB Gor said there were 27 children on the boat. “We are trying to locate and rescue others,” he said.

“A boat with students on board, who had come here for a picnic, capsized in Lake Harni in the afternoon. The fire brigade has rescued seven students so far while search is on for the missing,” said Vadodara's chief fire officer Parth Brahmbhatt.

Few local residents rescued some children before fire brigade personnel reached the spot, he said.

This is a development story. Stay tuned to India.com for more updates.

(With input from agencies)