The driver of the Navy speedboat that collided with a ferry packed with passengers on way to a tourist site off the Mumbai coast was in a "playful mood" and was "showing off", said a survivor who lost his aunt in the crash.

The survivor, Gautam Gupta, on Thursday recounted the moments leading up to the horrific speedboat-ferry collision on Wednesday afternoon that claimed the lives of 14 individuals, including Navy personnel.

The ferry was on its way to Elephanta Island, which has a collection of ancient caves, from the Gateway of India in south Mumbai when it sank off the city coast after the collision.

Gupta, a vegetable vendor from Nalasopara in adjoining Palghar district, was on the ferry 'Neel Kamal' with his aunt and relatives who had travelled to Mumbai to attend his wedding last week.

"I met my aunt after many years. She came for my wedding, and I took her for sightseeing and a ferry ride in the sea. I had no idea it would be the last day of her life," said a distressed Gupta.

Gupta, contesting the Navy's claim of "engine failure" in the speedboat leading to the crash, described the vessel's driver as someone who was "showing off." He said many passengers, including himself, were busy recording videos of the speedboat as the driver zig-zagged through the waters.

"It felt like a display," Gupta said.

As they headed towards Elephanta Island, he said the speedboat approached with 5 to 6 people on board.

"The driver was in a playful mood, zig-zagging through the waters. Suddenly, he turned the speedboat and headed directly towards us. He must have thought he could pass by our ferry narrowly, but his stunt ended in tragedy," Gupta said.

At the time of the collision, many passengers on the ferry were reportedly not wearing life jackets.

Initially, Gupta did not grasp the gravity of the situation.

"One occupant from the speedboat was thrown onto our ferry. We assumed our ferry was safe and that no damage had occurred. But soon, the ferry began to sink," he said.

"Before the collision, the speedboat driver was moving freely, and the passengers on board appeared calm. If there had been a problem with the boat, they would not have been so relaxed," he maintained.

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