Guwahati, Sep 23 (IANS): Three members of a family, including a woman and a child, committed suicide by jumping into the Brahmaputra river near Guwahati Monday.

Authorities said a search operation was launched immediately after the incident by the river police and local boatmen but they were yet to recover the bodies.

The identity of the three was also yet to be ascertained.

"The couple with a minor child hired a boat from Sukreswar temple ghat Monday morning. They said they would visit the Umananda temple and would have a ride on the Brahmaputra," the police quoted the boatman as saying.

"However, as we reached the middle of the river, the couple jumped into the river along with the child. We offered them life jackets immediately and threw ropes so that they could return to the boat, but they refused all help," said the boatman and his assistant.

"We immediately informed the other boats and also the river police. Some boats and river police rushed to the spot where the trio jumped but failed to rescue them as they were swept away by the strong current of the river," the boatman said.

"It is difficult to say anything. I just saw the couple having a discussion among themselves before jumping into the river. However, I could not hear anything due to the sound of the engine of my boat," he said.