Three more bodies have been recovered from the Maikhola river, taking the toll from a boat capsize in Mahamai, Ilam, to eight.

Security personnel had recovered five bodies from the incident site on Friday. Rescuers found one body at Sharanamati in Jhapa late in the evening while two others were found in Shivagunj on Saturday.

Police have identified seven bodies so far. The identity of a man presumably in his early forties is yet to be ascertained, said police. Jasa Bahadur Rai, Bishnu Maya Dhamala, Dambar Maya Ranamagar, Harka Bahadur Ranamagar, Anjali Khadka, Pabitra Poudel and one Pushpanjali had drowned when an overloaded wooden boat capsized in the flooded river in a section between Mahamai and Danabari.

Thirty-four people were rescued safely from the incident site. It is still not clear if some people have been missing.

“Nobody has complained about their missing relatives,” said Chief District Officer Janak Raj Dahal. He said the search continues downstream in coordination with the security agencies in Jhapa.

A joint team of Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force, with help from the local people, has continued the search. According to survivors, there were 45 to 50 people on board. Meanwhile, an all-party meeting held in Mahamai on Saturday decided to continue with the boat service as there was no other way of crossing the river.

VDC secretary Chandra Poudel said a boat would be allowed to carry up to 15 people while life jacket has been made mandatory.