Navy speedboat collides with ferry near Gateway of India, 13 killed
#News Bureau Maharashtra November 18,2024
A major accident took place when a naval speedboat collided with a ferry near the Gateway of India in Mumbai. At least 13 people have died. The dead also include a naval sailor and two employees on a naval speedboat. The remaining 10 deceased were people on the boat. There were 110 people on that boat. Many people have been rescued.
The accident happened when a naval craft lost control near the Mumbai coast and collided with a boat named Neelkamal. The boat was carrying about 110 passengers from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island. The incident happened around 4 pm. According to a statement from the Indian Navy, a search and rescue operation was immediately launched by the Navy in coordination with the Indian Coast Guard and the Mumbai Marine Police.
The Indian Navy statement said that the naval aircraft was undergoing engine testing and it lost control. Due to this, it collided with the passenger ferry Neelkamal near Karanja in Mumbai.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said in a statement, ‘101 people have been rescued and 13 people have died, including 10 civilians and 3 naval personnel. Two others are seriously injured and have been shifted to the Naval Hospital. The families of the deceased will get Rs 5 lakh from the CM Relief Fund.
Earlier, Fadnavis had said in a post on Twitter, “We are in constant touch with the district and police administration… District administration has been ordered to deploy all necessary machinery for rescue operations.”
The statement said that 99 people have been rescued so far. Four naval helicopters, 11 naval crafts, one coast guard boat and three marine police boats are being used in the rescue operations.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed condolences to the bereaved families and said that ‘extensive search and rescue efforts are underway by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard to locate the missing persons, with multiple resources deployed’.
The boat, named Neelkamal, was operating between Elephanta Island, a popular tourist spot near Mumbai, and the Gateway of India. According to Navy sources, the speedboat was a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) undergoing engine testing and had some engine problem, which led to the accident.
Video footage of the incident shared on social media showed passengers wearing life jackets being rescued and taken to other boats amid chaos. Rescue operations are underway.
The boat, named Neelkamal, was operating between Elephanta Island, a popular tourist spot near Mumbai, and the Gateway of India. According to Navy sources, the speedboat was a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) undergoing engine testing and had some engine problem, which led to the accident.
Video footage of the incident shared on social media showed passengers wearing life jackets being rescued and taken to other boats amid chaos. Rescue operations are underway.
