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regular-article-logo Thursday, 19 December 2024

Body of 43-year-old passenger missing after ferry-Navy craft collision found, toll rises to 14

Of the 113 persons on board both the vessels, 14 died and 98, including two injured, were rescued. There were six persons on board the Navy craft, of which two survived, says official

PTI Mumbai Published 19.12.24, 08:13 PM
Mumbai Police personnel in association with Indian Navy and Maritime security conduct a search operation in the Arabian Sea a day after a Navy speedboat crashed into a private ferry that killed 13 people, off the Mumbai coast, Thursday, December 19, 2024.

Mumbai Police personnel in association with Indian Navy and Maritime security conduct a search operation in the Arabian Sea a day after a Navy speedboat crashed into a private ferry that killed 13 people, off the Mumbai coast, Thursday, December 19, 2024. PTI picture.

The body of a man who was among the two missing passengers after a Navy craft rammed into their ferry off the Mumbai coast, was found on Thursday, taking the toll to 14, said police as the Navy launched a probe into one of the deadliest crashes in the city's harbour area.

A day after the crash, the body of the 43-year-old man was found near the ferry, police said.

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Search operation continues to locate a seven-year-old boy who is still missing, a police official added.

A naval helicopter and boats of the Navy and Coast Guard were deployed on Thursday to look for the missing passengers. Eight boats, including those from the Navy and Coast Guard are involved in the Search and Rescue (SAR) operation, the official said.

Of the 113 persons on board both the vessels, 14 died and 98, including two injured, were rescued.

There were six persons on board the Navy craft, of which two survived, the official said.

The tragedy struck when the speeding Navy craft undergoing engine trials lost control and collided with passenger ferry 'Neel Kamal' off Karanja near Mumbai. The ferry carrying more than 100 passengers was on its way from the Gateway of India to the Elephanta Island, a popular tourist attraction which has a collection of ancient caves.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday told the state assembly that three persons injured in the boat tragedy included a four-year-old girl and an eight-month pregnant woman.

He said the third injured is a Navy staffer and his condition is serious.

"The condition of the four-year-old girl and the pregnant woman is stable," Pawar said.

The Navy on Thursday instituted a Board of Inquiry to probe the collision.

"A Board of Inquiry has been ordered into the accident to establish the facts of the case," the Navy said.

Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi offered condolences to the grieving families of those who lost their lives in the accident.

Investigations carried out so far have revealed the ferry had a capacity of 90 passengers, but it had over 100 persons on board, said police.

According to the documents issued by the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), the boat had permission to carry 84 passengers and 6 crew members, but it was overloaded with over a 100 persons, a police official said.

Police have collected all documents related to the ill-fated ferryt, he said.

A case has been registered against the Navy craft driver at the Colaba police station, the official said.

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections invoked in the FIR related to the tragedy included those related to causing death by negligence, actions that endanger the personal safety or life of others, rash or negligent navigation of a vessel and acts of mischief that cause wrongful loss or damage to individuals or the public There were two German nationals and one Canadian on board ‘Neel Kamal’ at the time of the mid-sea collision and they were safely rescued, he said.

Cops have so far recorded the statements of nine persons who were rescued by the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, Mumbai police and CISF teams and identification of all the 13 bodies has been done, he said.

The accident-affected craft is in the custody of the Navy and police will demand it whenever needed for investigation, the official said.

The mangled passenger ferry has been taken to ‘Bhaucha Dhakka’ (a wharf near Dockyard Road) in south Mumbai, another official said.

Meanwhile, a Mantralaya (state secretariat) official said the MMB earlier in the day submitted an interim report on the incident to the state government.

"The MMB has issued a show-cause notice to the owner of the boat Neel Kamal in connection with the tragedy and sought an explanation," an official added.

A day after the collision, authorities made life jackets mandatory for all people taking boat rides from the Gateway of India.

Some tourists, however, said the life jackets would be of help only if people know how to use them.

The authorities should instruct people how to use the life jackets in case of an emergency, they said.

Some survivors of the tragedy on Wednesday claimed the ferry did not have enough life jackets.

Devidas Jadhav, an assistant boat inspector deputed at the Gateway of India, told PTI that they have made the use of life jackets mandatory for every passenger taking ferry boat to Mandva near Alibaug (in neighbouring Raigad), Elephanta Island or while going for a short ride off Mumbai harbour.

Boat owner Sameer Bamane said some passengers are reluctant to wear life jackets, citing the reason that they feel uncomfortable due to excessive heat and sweat during humid conditions.

"Tourists here do not want to wear the life jacket, but the same people use it without any complaint when they go to other countries like Singapore or Malaysia. It is because the authorities there do not allow a boat to move if even one person is without a life jacket," he said.

Azahar Mulla, owner of boat 'Aayesha' at Gateway, said they are facing challenges in enforcing the mandatory life jacket rule because passengers are reluctant to wear them, with many claiming they can swim well.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.

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