Seven bodies were recovered on Monday as the scuba divers and disaster force personnel who were pressed into rescue operations soon after the tragedy continued their search overnight.

The rescue teams had on Sunday saved the lives of nearly 80 people but local people have no information on the exact number of people who were on board.

The bodies and the survivors were taken to the VSS Medical College Hospital at Burla and the district headquarters hospital in Sambalpur.

Personnel of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), fire brigade, police and local divers were pressed into rescue operation soon after the boat capsized.

According to reports, the incident occurred when a group of people from the Lion's Club of Sambalpur, Hirakud and Bargarh, were returning ashore at the end of their picnic in the reservoir.

Boat had mechanical snag; probe ordered

Witnesses said the boat had a mechanical problem. But oficials say the boat capsized due to overload.

An administrative inquiry by the revenue divisional commissioner (RDC) has been ordered.

The Government has ordered free treatment for the survivors as well as a compensation of Rs 1.5 lakh to the kin of those dead, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is currently in New Delhi, announced.

According to Congress sources, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who is on a visit to the state, will meet the relatives of the victims.

In another similar mishap, on January 26 last, a privately owned tourist boat, Aqua Marine, carrying 43 tourists, capsized near Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar islands in the Bay of Bengal killing 21 people.

The mishap on a Republic Day, reportedly after a blast, occurred between Ross Island and North Bay near Port Blair, about 25 km from shore, at 4 pm. Thirteen people were rescued while the rest were listed as missing.