Singur, Jan. 8: All 24 picnickers who had jumped into water in the Sunderbans last night after their boat caught fire have been rescued.

Other tourist boats, anchored for the night at Sajnekhali, and forest department vessels from Pakhiralay, 300m away, rushed in after a kerosene stove burst and caused the blaze.

Some of the picnickers swam through the water, known to have crocodiles, to reach the other vessels, while some held on to ropes hanging from the burning boat for survival.

Police said there were seven women and four children in the group from Singur and the mothers held on to the children in the water.

The rescue was completed in 30 minutes. The boat drowned in the Hooghly after being in flames for about an hour.

Tourists robbed

Goons armed with pipe guns and daggers last night robbed tourists on a boat in the Sunderbans. At Canning, 90km from Calcutta, the robbers took away cash, phones and jewellery worth about Rs 1 lakh from the Durgapur group.