Divers from Nepal’s Armed Police Force have joined the search for three people missing after a passenger boat accident in the Saptakoshi river on Sunday.

The missing have been identified as Shivak Magar, seven, son of Nita Magar from Kankai Municipality-4 in Jhapa district; Pramila Magar, 21, and Manu Rai, 22, both from Barahakshetra Municipality-1 in Sunsari district.

Teams of divers deployed from the Armed Police Force’s Chatara base in Sunsari and its provincial headquarters in Pakali have intensified the search around the accident site, said Deputy Superintendent of Armed Police Rajesh Phuyal.

According to Phuyal, commander of the Armed Police Force’s No. 6 Headquarters Chhintang Company, seven divers and an 11-member team led by an inspector have been deployed for search and rescue operations. They are searching underwater and along the riverbanks.

Nepal Police personnel have also joined the operation in coordination with the Armed Police Force. Teams based in Chatara and Triveni are searching the river and its banks using boats, said Narayan Ranjitkar, superintendent of police in Dhankuta.

“We are searching the stretch from Kopche to Chatara. The divers and other police teams will continue the search and rescue operation,” Ranjitkar said.

Ranjitkar and Phuyal visited the accident site on Sunday before returning to the Dhankuta district headquarters that night. Search teams from the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force resumed operations early on Monday morning.

The accident occurred at around 2pm on Sunday at Triveni in Sangurigadhi Rural Municipality-10, Dhankuta, while the motorboat was travelling from Kopche in Hatuwagadhi Rural Municipality-9, Bhojpur district, to Barahakshetra in Sunsari district.

Police said the boat crashed after suffering brake failure.

Three passengers were confirmed dead on Sunday: Lila Rai, 21, from Barahakshetra Municipality-1 in Sunsari; an unidentified girl estimated to be seven years old; and an unidentified man estimated to be around 50.

Police estimate that 15 people, including the driver, were on board. A team from the Barahakshetra police post rescued 12 people and took them to Chatara Hospital for treatment, where three were pronounced dead.

Mohan Sunar, 31, of Hatuwagadhi Rural Municipality-4 in Bhojpur, is receiving treatment for injuries. His condition is stable, police said.

The boat driver, Suman Magar, 24, of Barahakshetra Municipality-1, is in police custody. The driver and nine other passengers are safe.