The boat was carrying over 15 people when the mishap occurred. All the people belonged to the same family in Faizabad and were on their way to attend a funeral in Gonda.

District Magistrate of Faizabad Anil Garg said a rescue team of divers is searching for the drowned people. He added that only the body of a 30-year-old woman has been recovered, while the rest are still missing.

Fifteen-year-old Kundan, who managed to survive, said: “We were going to Gyan Chand’s house in Durgaganj village on the bank of Saryu river. When we reached midstream, our boatman lost control and the boat capsized, and we all fell into the water.”

Chilla Devi who lost her seven-month-old child Krishna in the mishap said she was feeding the baby, when the boat overturned. “My child slipped out of my hands,” she wept.

Police said as the boat was overloaded and the current was very high, it might have led to the incident.