The ill-fated cruise that capsized in Jabalpur killed 9, with several still missing. Look, no life jackets.
Survivors said they asked the crew to turn back when winds worsened, but were ignored. Life jackets were given only after cruise began capsizing.
Another reminder: avoid deep water activities in India unless you can swim well.
Operators don’t use life jackets. Even when they do, they are cheap, low-quality, poorly maintained, or outright substandard, sometimes waterlogged, torn, or with failing straps, just to tick a box. Certification labels are missing or meaningless, and regular inspection or replacement is rare.