2 Dead, 77 Rescued After Navy Speedboat Rams Ferry Near Mumbai; 5 Missing
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The incident took place when the ferry, named “Neelkamal”, was heading to Elephanta Island, a popular tourist destination, from Gateway of India. A small boat dashed against Neelkamal around 4 pm, police said
30 passengers were on board the boat that capsized at sea in Mumbai. (Photo: News18)
At least two persons died after a ferry capsized off Mumbai coast on Wednesday afternoon. As many as 77 people were rescued, while search is underway for at least five people who are missing.
The incident took place when the ferry, named “Neelkamal”, was heading to Elephanta Island, a popular tourist destination, from Gateway of India. An Indian Navy speedboat dashed against Neelkamal around 4 pm.
The Indian Navy and Coast Guard have launched a massive rescue operation, with 11 Navy boats and three boats of Marine Police and a boat of Coast Guard being deployed in the area, a defence official said. Four helicopters are also involved in the search and rescue operation, the official said.
Also READ: How Boat Collided With ‘Neelkamal’ Ferry Off Mumbai Coast | Caught On Cam
Personnel from police, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and fishermen in the area are also involved in the rescue work, the official said.
Swam For About 15 Minutes Before Rescue: Eyewitnesses
According to eyewitnesses, a speeding boat was circling around the passenger ferry before it collided with it. The ferry had departed from Gateway of India at around 3:30 PM and was approximately 5 to 8 km into its journey towards Elephanta when the speeding boat struck it. The journey between Mumbai and Elephanta covers a distance of around 30 km and typically takes 40 to 45 minutes.
Eyewitnesses described the chaos following the collision. “I boarded the ferry around 3:30 PM,” said one passenger. “About 10 kilometers into the sea, a speeding boat rammed into our ferry. Water started flooding the boat, and the driver immediately asked us to wear life jackets. I managed to put mine on, but by then, the boat was already submerged. I swam for about 15 minutes before another boat came to our rescue.”
The eyewitness also stated that there were children on the ferry, and life jackets were not distributed until water started entering the boat. “The speeding boat had around 8 to 10 people on board, and one of its passengers suffered a leg injury, while another reportedly died in the collision,” the passenger added.
Fadnavis Reacts To Boat Tragedy
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that he has given orders to the district administration to deploy all the necessary machinery for the rescue operation.
“We have received reports of an accident involving the boat Neelkamal, which was heading towards Elephanta. Boats from the Navy, Coast Guard, Port and Police teams have been immediately dispatched for assistance. We are in constant touch with the district and police administration and fortunately most of the citizens have been rescued. However, rescue operations are still underway. Orders have been given to the district administration to deploy all the necessary machinery for the rescue operation,” the CM wrote in a post on X.
Speaking in the state assembly, Fadnavis emphasised the seriousness of the incident and assured that all measures were being taken.
Opposition leader Sachin Ahir from Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray faction also expressed his concern, calling it an unfortunate tragedy. He sought the accountability, saying this was not the first time such an incident has occurred.
“We need to investigate whether the boat was overloaded and if proper inspections were conducted by the Maritime Board,” he said.
