Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said they have confirmed 13 people dead including three navy men in the tragic Elephanta ferry capsize near Butcher Island Mumbai. Of the survivors, three are passengers who are in serious condition and are still admitted at the Navy hospital. It happened on Wednesday afternoon itself as a speed boat owned by the Indian Navy rammed the passengers’ ferry Neel Kamal.
Speaking to the media, CM Fadnavis said that the Navy personnel had been testing the boat’s engines on that fateful night when the boat’s throttle malfunctioned leading to a crash onto the ferry. The Chief Minister said that compensation of ₹5 lakh would be paid to the families of the victims and promised action from the state police and the Indian Navy with respect to the loss.
The rescue mission has still been intensive pulling all entities of the Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Police. By 7:By 3 0’PM, 101 passengers had been rescued. This operation included four naval helicopters, eleven naval vessels, one coast guard boat and three marine police boats. The survivors were evacuated immediately to other nearby jetties and treated in the hospital coolers.
A Defence Public Relations Officer acknowledged that the accident happened at around 4PM and search and rescue operations were organized without delay. According to Mumbai Police, 5 were injured and out of 13 dead bodies, seven were men, four women and two children.
The police of Colaba are filing a case so that those responsible for the accident can be brought to book. More details from the state government are still expected to be released tomorrow Thursday. As a result of this calamity, societal and safety in particular aspect of sea transport has become an area of concern, which should warrant extra precaution to be taken to avoid such recurrent mishap in the future.
