Mumbai: The death toll in the Mumbai boat capsize climbed to 13, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed on Wednesday. Among the deceased are 10 civilians and three Navy personnel, Fadnavis stated while addressing reporters in Nagpur. According to Navy reports, the death toll as of 7:30 PM stands at 13. Meanwhile, 101 individuals have been rescued so far. He, however, did not specify how many persons were on board the ferry and the speed boat.  The Neelkamal ferry was on its way to Elephanta Islands, a popular tourist destination near Mumbai, when the speed boat crashed into it around 4 pm. 

What Led to the Tragedy?

The tragic incident occurred when a naval speedcraft, undergoing sea trials after an engine replacement, went out of control and collided with the ferry Neelkamal. According to Indian Navy officials, the boat’s newly installed engine malfunctioned, getting stuck at full throttle, which led to the collision.

The naval boat had six individuals on board, including two naval personnel and four representatives from the firm responsible for supplying the engine.  

Eyewitnesses Narrate Ordeal

Eyewitnesses reported that a speeding boat was circling the passenger ferry before it collided with it. The ferry, which had departed from Gateway of India around 3:30 PM, was approximately 5 to 8 km into its journey to Elephanta when the incident occurred. The route between Mumbai and Elephanta spans about 30 km and typically takes 40 to 45 minutes.

Recounting the chaos after the collision, a passenger said, “I boarded the ferry at around 3:30 PM. About 10 kilometres into the sea, a speeding boat rammed into us. Water began flooding the ferry, and the driver immediately instructed everyone to wear life jackets. I managed to put mine on, but by then, the boat was already sinking. I swam for nearly 15 minutes before another boat arrived to rescue us.”

The passenger also noted that children were on board, and life jackets were not distributed until the ferry began taking on water. “The speeding boat had about 8 to 10 people on board. One of its passengers suffered a leg injury, while another reportedly lost their life in the collision,” they added.  

Massive Rescue Operation Underway

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 involved in the search and rescue operation, the official said. Personnel from police, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and fishermen in the area were also involved in the rescue work, he added. 

CM Fadnavis Reacts To Boat Tragedy

“We have received reports of an accident involving the boat Nilkamal, 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”, Fadnavis said in a tweet. 

He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the bereaved families. “The final information regarding any more missing people will be available tomorrow morning. The bereaved families will be given Rs. 5 lakhs ex gratia from the CM relief fund. The whole incident would be investigated by the police and the Navy…”, he added.   
 

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar said, “… A very unfortunate incident took place in the Mumbai harbour today. The place from where the boat left, Gateway of India, is a part of my assembly constituency… We have to carry out a thorough investigation and prepare a remedy plan to avoid such incidents in the future…”