Navy Issues Statement After 13 Dead In Mumbai Boat Mishap Enroute To Elephanta Capsizes

Mumbai: A ferry boat carrying passengers from the Gateway of India capsized after colliding with an Indian Navy vessel in Mumbai. The ferry, which was transporting passengers to the famous Elephanta Caves, was struck by the naval craft that lost control due to an engine malfunction while undergoing routine trials in Mumbai Harbour.

According to a statement released by the Indian Navy, the mishap occurred when the navy vessel veered off course and collided with the passenger ferry. The impact led to the capsizing of the ferry, which had numerous passengers on board. As of the latest reports, 13 fatalities have been confirmed.

“Today afternoon, an Indian Navy craft lost control while undertaking engine trials in Mumbai Harbour due to engine malfunction. As a result, the boat collided with a passenger ferry which subsequently capsized. 13 fatalities have been reported so far. Survivors rescued from the incident site are being shifted to nearby hospitals,” read the statement. 

Survivors were quickly rescued from the scene and are being transported to nearby hospitals for medical care. The injured are reported to be in stable condition, though some are said to have sustained serious injuries.

“Search and rescue efforts have been immediately launched wherein 4 naval helicopters, 11 naval crafts, one Coast Guard boat and three marine police crafts have been pressed in action for recovering the survivors,” Navy added

Eyewitnesses Narrate Ordeal

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters, 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, Deputy CM React 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.   

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde directed authorities to expedite the rescue operations, which were launched by the Indian Coast Guard and local police.

"Deputy CM Shinde took information about the rescue operations from the Mumbai City and Raigad District Collectors. Giving instructions to speed up the rescue operations with the help of the Navy, JNPT, Coast Guard and local fishing boats, Deputy Chief Minister Mr Shinde told the system," Deputy Chief Minister's Office said in a statement.

"Upon receiving information about the accident of the ferry boat going to Elephanta, Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Shinde contacted Raigad District Collector Kisan Jawale and Mumbai City District Collector Sanjay Yadav over the phone and inquired about the rescue operations. At the same time, he also spoke to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Ports) Sudhakar Pathare over the phone and inquired about the information," the statement added.