A overcrowded speedboat carrying lawmakers and senior bureaucrats officials capsized in a flooded lowland in Labhpur on Wednesday evening and were rescued promptly by villagers.

Those on the speedboat included Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam, Bolpur MP Asit Mal, local MLA Abhijit Sinha and Birbhum district magistrate Bidhan Ray.

The 13-member team was visiting flood-hit areas when the mishap happened.

"The engine of the speedboat failed when a tree branch damaged its propeller. Due to the strong current, the boat began to roll and shake in turbulent waters and eventually capsized. We were fortunate to grab onto tree branches before villagers came to our rescue," said Abhijit Sinha, the Labhpur MLA, who was part of the 13-member team.

Samirul Islam, the Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member, described the incident as a narrow escape from death, adding that swimming in floodwaters would have been extremely difficult amid the strong currents.

The boat-capsize has raised several questions about safety arrangements in place for the officials visiting flood-hit areas.

First, the speedboat was carrying 13 people, despite having a capacity for only eight to 10 passengers.

Second, none of the passengers was wearing a life jacket, supposed to be mandatory for speedboat travel.

A source revealed that the boat did not have any life jackets on board.

Third, there was no backup boat to escort the officials, a standard safety measure for transporting high-ranking individuals in such conditions.

A senior official commented: "The situation could have been fatal, as most of the passengers were not accustomed to swimming in such dangerous floodwaters. It was fortunate that the villagers rescued them promptly."