Mumbai: 13 dead as Navy speedboat hits ferry near Gateway of India
The ferry boat, returning to Mumbai after a trip to Elephanta Island, sank after the Navy speedboat lost control due to an engine malfunction and rammed into it
Thirteen passengers reportedly died as a ferry carrying 110 people, including five crew members, capsized off the Mumbai coast, near the Gateway of India, after a Navy speedboat lost control due to an engine malfunction and rammed into it on Wednesday (December 18).
The dead include 10 civilians and three Navy personnel, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters at Nagpur. As per the information from Navy, the death toll 9 pm was 13, he added.
A video captured by someone on the ferry showed the speedboat with four men aboard zig-zagging its way through the water before hitting the boat. According to reports, 101 people were rescued.
Boat dashed into ferry
The ferry boat Neelkamal, which was on its way to Elephanta Islands near Mumbai, capsized near Uran, Karanja, a police official told the media.
A police official said the speedboat dashed against Neelkamal around 4 pm, causing the accident.
The survivors were taken on board Indian Coast Guard ship Subhadra Kumari Chauhan, Coast Guard officials told the media.
Massive search
The Navy and Coast Guard 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 were also involved in the search and rescue operation, the official added.
Personnel from police, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, and local fishermen were also involved in the rescue work, the official said.
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Boat was on way back to Mumbai
The boat had reportedly set off from the Gateway of India to the Elephanta Island. The incident happened as it was on its way back to Mumbai.
Videos doing the rounds of social media showed some people wearing life jackets and some without being shifted to another boat as the vessel tilted dangerously in the water.
About Elephanta Island
The Elephanta Islands are home to the famous Elephanta Caves that attracts tourists from around the world.
The caves house ancient rock-cut temples, dedicated to Lord Shiva and other Hindu deities, and are believed to have been carved between 1,500 and 2,200 years ago.
The temples are renowned for their intricate sculptures and stunning architecture.
(With agency inputs)