It is feared that 64 persons, including 16 women and 18 children, drowned when the overloaded boat carrying them capsized in the river at Manchalakatta, about 175 km from Hyderabad, in Mahboobnagar district on Thursday.

A helicopter has been pressed into service for an aerial survey to help trace the bodies, Kollapur police said.

Even as efforts to search the bodies with the help of expert divers and local fishermen are on, the ill-fated boat floated about 3 km away from the accident spot on Saturday morning, officials said.

The boat, with a capacity of 35 persons, was carrying 80 pilgrims who were on their way to Singotam in Mahaboobnagar district to participate in a religious gathering when it sank in the river, where water was about 120 to 140 feet deep.

Sixteen persons swam to safety while all others are feared drowned. All the victims belonged to Kurnool district.