Mumbai witnessed an unprecedented tragedy near the Gateway of India on Wednesday when a Navy speedboat collided with a ferry, killing at least 13 people. As per latest reports, 2 people are still missing and search operations are currently underway for the same. The collision, which took place close to Butcher Island off Mumbai around 4pm, ledto the sinking of the ferry vessel. The initial rescue was carried out by a trawler and pilot boats from Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) on the mainland, which took around 15-20 minutes to reach the spot. However, there wasno clarity on whether the ferry vessel, Neelkamal, made a distress call or if the rescue was initiated on basis of information from other vessels in the vicinity.
Also Read: Mumbai Boat Accident: Navy Speedboat Rams Ferry, Leaving 13 Dead - What We Know So Far
A total of 101 others were rescued, said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The Chief Minister announced that an ex-gratia of Rs5 lakh would be provided from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to the families of those who lost their lives. The naval boat had 6 persons on board including 2 naval personnel and 4 members from the firm which had supplied the engine. The ferry had 80 adult passengers along with five crew members. The number of children present on the ferry is being ascertained as they were not issued tickets.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Expressed condolences on the accident. "Deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives in the collision between passenger ferry and Indian Navy craft in Mumbai Harbour. Injured personnel, including naval personnel & civilians from both vessels, are receiving urgent medical care. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Extensive search & rescue efforts are ongoing by the Indian Navy & Coast Guard, deploying multiple assets, to locate missing persons," said Singh.