Nagpur, July 11 (IANS): At least 10 women drowned and 20 were missing after two boats in which they were travelling overturned in the Waingangan River in eastern Maharashtra's Bhandara district, a police official said Saturday evening.

The incident occurred around 12 km from the Bhandara district headquarters, 840 km east of Mumbai.

According to Superintendent of Police Suresh Sagar, who is supervising the rescue operations, there were between 30-35 women in two boats which were tied together and were crossing the river Saturday evening.

The boats suddenly capsized with all the women on board. They were all farm labourers returning to their native villages after completing the day's sowing, around 6 p.m.

Four women and three boatmen managed to swim safely to the shore while villagers have fished out 10 bodies.

"The chances of survival of the other victims appear remote so we fear the worst for the remaining 20 women. We are trying to locate and remove their bodies in the water. We have also organised a search downstream," Sagar told IANS