Popular Assamese singer Zubeen Garg passed away on Friday after a tragic accident during a yacht outing in Singapore. 
The organisers of the North East India Festival (NEIF), where Garg was scheduled to perform, said they had no prior knowledge of his private trip before the three-day event.
The 52-year-old cultural icon, who rose to fame in Assam in the 1990s and gained nationwide recognition with his 2006 hit Ya Ali, lost his life in the incident.
Yacht Mishap vs. Scuba Diving Confusion
In a new statement that contradicted their earlier one, Chief Organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta confirmed that Garg was on a yacht with members of the local Assamese community in Singapore when the accident occurred.
Previously, the organisers had stated that the singer died after facing complications while scuba diving. 
&ldquo;While scuba diving, he experienced difficulty in breathing and was given CPR before being taken to Singapore General Hospital. Despite best efforts, he was declared dead in the ICU around 2:30 pm IST,&rdquo; their initial release read.
Festival Cancelled After Singer&rsquo;s Death
The three-day NEIF festival, which began on September 19, was immediately cancelled following the shocking news.
Garg had reached Singapore on Wednesday, days before his scheduled appearance.
Mahanta told PTI, &ldquo;He was supposed to join us at the festival tomorrow to meet and interact with people. At the time of the incident, our team was attending a business meeting with senior Singaporean industrialists and policymakers to promote investments in Northeast India.&rdquo;
"No Knowledge of Trip"
Mahanta also posted a statement on Facebook, explaining that the organisers were informed of the tragedy through a call from Garg&rsquo;s manager.
&ldquo;While we were in the meeting, we got a call from his manager saying Zubeen had met with an accident and was rushed to Singapore General Hospital. We had no prior knowledge of his yacht trip,&rdquo; he said.
Calling Garg&rsquo;s passing an &ldquo;irreplaceable loss,&rdquo; Mahanta added, &ldquo;Words fall short to express our grief. As a mark of respect, we have cancelled the event.&rdquo;

Assamese singer Zubeen Garg dies in Singapore

NEIF says it had no prior knowledge of Zubeen Garg’s yacht trip before fatal accident

Zubeen Garg Dies In Singapore Yacht Accident

NEIF says it had no prior knowledge of Zubeen Garg’s yacht trip before fatal accident

September 20, 2025 | 17:09 IST