At least 22 people, most of them children, drowned after a houseboat carrying around 40 passengers capsized at the Tanur area of Kerala's Malappuram on Sunday evening.According to the district administration, the death toll now stands at 22. As per Minister V Abdurahiman, 7 people are in critical condition.More people are believed to be trapped under the boat. The efforts are on to bring the capsized boat to the shore.According to Police, the incident occurred around 7 PM. But the exact cause of the accident was not known at present.
The incident occurred at Kettu Azhi in the estuary. As many as 12 persons were rescued in the operation that is still underway under difficult conditions.The two-decker boat service is operated by a private individual with permission from the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC). However, reports say the boat does not have a licence. Boats are permitted to operate at the point where the river meets the sea. The boat belonged to a local named Nasser from Tanur, and four other boats service in the region. The trips are scheduled to end at 6 in the evening.Eyewitnesses stated that the main reason for the accident was overload. There has been no official confirmation so far. It was the last service of the day. The boat tilted to one side due to its excess weight. The fact that most people did not use life jackets contributed to the severity of the accident.