Ferry breaks down mid-river in Sharavathi backwaters with passengers on boards, towed to safety

SHIVAMOGGA: A ferry carrying vehicles and people broke down in the Holebagilu backwater area of the Sharavathi river on Thursday evening, leaving over 100 people stranded for a few hours.

The ferry broke down in the middle of the water due to a mechanical failure. Later, a tugboat which was involved in bridge construction work towed the ferry towards the shore.

It is said that the stranded ferry could have crashed against a pillar of the Sigandur bridge had the tugboat not arrived in time. The passengers on the ferry had to undergo tense moments due to the incident.