Mumbai ferry accident: Toll rises to 14 as passenger’s body found

Mumbai, Dec 19 (PTI) The body of a 43-year-old man who was among the two missing passengers after a Navy craft rammed into their ferry off the Mumbai coast, was found on Thursday, police said.

The body was found near the ferry, police said. The death toll in the tragedy has now gone up to 14.

Search operation continues to locate a seven-year-old boy who is still missing a day after the tragedy, 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.

Thirteen persons, including Navy personnel and two contractual naval employees, were killed when the Navy craft dashed against the passenger ferry 'Neel Kamal', carrying more than 100 passengers from the Gateway of India to the Elephanta Island, on Wednesday afternoon.

The Navy on Thursday instituted a Board of Inquiry to probe the collision of the naval boat with the passenger ferry.

"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 and wished for a speedy and full recovery of those who were injured. PTI