Life Jackets Made Mandatory For Boat Rides From Gateway of India After Ferry Crash

Mumbai: A day after a ferry-Navy craft collision claimed 14 lives off the Mumbai coast, authorities on Thursday made life jackets mandatory for all people taking boat rides from the Gateway of India.

Some tourists, however, said the life jackets would be of help only if people know how to use them. The authorities should instruct people how to use the life jackets in case of an emergency, they said.

Some survivors of the tragedy on Wednesday claimed the ferry did not have enough life jackets.

Fourteen persons, including a Navy personnel and two contractual naval employees, were killed and nearly 100 rescued after the Navy craft carrying out engine trials dashed against the passenger ferry 'Neel Kamal' on Wednesday afternoon.

The ferry was carrying more than 100 passengers from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island.

Meanwhile, a Mantralaya official said the MMB earlier in the day submitted an interim report on the incident to the state government.

"The MMB has issued a show-cause notice to the owner of the boat Neel Kamal in connection with the tragedy and sought an explanation," the official added.

Devidas Jadhav, an assistant boat inspector deputed at the Gateway of India, told PTI that they have made the use of life jackets mandatory for every passenger taking ferry boat to Mandva near Alibaug (in neighbouring Raigad), Elephanta Island or while going for a short ride off Mumbai harbour.

Jadhav, part of the Maharashtra Maritime Board, is tasked with ensuring every passenger on such boats mandatorily wears a life jacket.

Boat owners from Bhaucha Dhakka (a wharf near the Dockyard Road here) said they insist that people wear life jackets, but passengers are reluctant many a times though they could prove life-saving in case of an emergency.

Ferry boats operate from Bhaucha Dhakka to trans-harbour locations like Uran and Revas in neighbouring Raigad district.

Boat owner Sameer Bamane said some passengers are reluctant to wear life jackets, citing the reason that they feel uncomfortable due to excessive heat and sweat during humid conditions.

"Tourists here do not want to wear the life jacket, but the same people use it without any complaint when they go to other countries like Singapore or Malaysia. It is because the authorities there do not allow a boat to move if even one person is without a life jacket," he said.

Azahar Mulla, owner of boat 'Aayesha' at Gateway, said they are facing challenges in enforcing the mandatory life jacket rule because passengers are reluctant to wear them, with many claiming they can swim well.

"Passengers only wear it when Maharashtra Maritime Board personnel are present at the jetty. Otherwise, they ignore the boat owners' instructions," Mulla claimed.

A source at Bhaucha Dhakka said MMB officials, apart from going about enforcing the life jacket rule, have also instructed boat operators not to allow passengers to travel on the upper decks.

"MMB officials are now strictly monitoring compliance of this rule," the source said.

A boat owner from Bhaucha Dhakka said wearing life jackets was always mandatory but the rule was seldom enforced.

A master driver of a launch operating from Gateway told PTI many passengers wear life jackets while departing and arriving but remove them once they are off shore despite repeated reminders to keep them on at all times.

Sangeeta Dalvi, who was travelling to Mandva with her husband for some work, said passengers must use life jackets as they can save lives in case of an emergency.

She also said there was no need for the people to be scared after Wednesday's accident.

"Such tragedies do not happen everyday. We do not avoid travelling by roads though everyday several accidents occur on roads," Dalvi added.

Suyesh Sharma, a tourist from Chhattisgarh who came to the Gateway of India to take a boat ride as he had time before his return by an evening flight, said life jackets does not prove much helpful in the high sea unless people know how to use them.

"Life jackets could prove helpful only when you know how to use them. Authorities should also tell people how to use them in case of emergency," said Sharma, who often takes up adventure sports like river rafting.