from daijiworld's special correspondent

Panaji, Feb 25: Safety at the half dozen river cruises operating in mandovi river was questioned again with a 22-year-old tourist losing her life after she fell down from a cruise boat, on Saturday evening.

Vishaka Ghodgate, a 22-year-old, Nagpur-based medical student, part of 72 students' group, fell into Mandovi river last evening.

Her dead body was traced late in the night by Goa Marine Police.

The incident has posed a serious question about the safety of tourists on board river cruises. "There are no lifeguards... If someone slips down into the water, he cannot be rescued... There is lot of music and noise around... Even if someone shouts for help, no one would hear," Rajan Kalkundrikar, a Maharashtrian tourist stated.

Kalkundrikar was in another river cruise when the tragic incident occured.

The river cruise boats loading guests at Santa Monica Jetty ferry them around for half an hour to one hour in Mandovi river and bring them back. "There are so many tourists who come on the cruise drunk... They lose control... There is possibility that they may lose their control and fall in river," another tourist said.

The river cruise boats who charge not less than Rs 250 per passenger employs no life guards on their vessels. Goa Marine police too are hardly visible in the area. "Government cannot play with the life of tourists like this... If they dont have security measures than they should stop the cruises," stated Kalkundrikar.