At least 12 people drowned and 17 others were rescued after a boat carrying them to a tourist spot capsized in the swollen river Godavari in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday, police said.

The boat was carrying around 60 people, including a nine-member crew. A search was underway for finding others.

Chief minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock over the grave tragedy and announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs. 10 lakh each to the kin of the deceased.

The boat, belonging to a private operator, was on its way to the Papikondalu tourist spot in the middle of the river when it met with the accident, apparently upon colliding with a large rock formation at Kachchuluru in East Godavari district, about 200 km from Amaravati, they said.

Twelves bodies have been retrieved so far while 17 rescued by the local residents, police said, adding two teams of National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force, with a total of 140 personnel, have been sent to the accident spot for rescue operations.

A special helicopter has been pressed into service from Rajamahendravaram for the rescue operation.