Military speedboat struck the passenger vessel at full speed due to engine malfunction, according to the Navy
Over a dozen people, including three naval personnel, have died following a collision between an Indian naval speedboat and a passenger ferry that was en route to a popular tourist destination off the coast of Mumbai on Wednesday.
The incident occurred around 4 PM after the speedboat, carrying five personnel, lost control during engine trials and collided with the privately-owned ferry, which was carrying over 110 passengers. At least 13 people were killed as a result, according to authorities.
Footage of the incident posted online shows the speedboat circling before crashing into the ferry.
Rescue operations were swift and extensive, involving 11 Navy boats, three Marine Police boats, a Coast Guard vessel, and four helicopters, according to local media. Personnel from various agencies, including police, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, and local fishermen, also participated in the search and rescue efforts.
#Indian Navy craft lost control and collided with passenger ferry Neel Kamal near Karanja, Mumbai.🔹 99 rescued🔹 13 fatalities, including 1 Navy personnel🔹 Rescue ops: 4 Navy helicopters, 11 naval craft, Coast Guard & Marine Police on-site.#boataccidentpic.twitter.com/Xs3Upz8YsL
— Waseem Zaidi (@ZaidiWaseem7) December 18, 2024
By late Wednesday, 101 people had been rescued from the water, with four individuals hospitalized in critical condition, according to Maharashtra state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
🚨TRAGIC #Mumbai : 13 including 3 Navy officials lost their life when a ferry boat carrying more than 100 passengers to Elephanta Caves capsizes in the water after it was hit by a Indian Navy speed boat near Gateway of India. Maharashtra CM has announced an ex-gratia of ₹5… pic.twitter.com/WOONv47DhZ
— Amitabh Chaudhary (@MithilaWaala) December 18, 2024
The Indian Navy expressed regret for the “tragic loss” of life, explaining that its craft “lost control while undertaking engine trials in Mumbai Harbour due to engine malfunction. As a result, the boat collided with a passenger ferry that subsequently capsized.”
The sunken ferry, named Neelkamal, was a privately-owned vessel carrying approximately 110 people to the Elephanta Caves, a popular tourist destination and UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back to the 5th-6th centuries AD.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the bereaved families over the tragedy. “I pray that the injured recover soon,” he added in a post on X, announcing an ex-gratia payment of 200,000 rupees ($2,350) for the next of kin of each deceased and 50,000 rupees for the injured.
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