13 people – three Indian Navy servicemembers and 8 civilians, have lost their lives in a collision of Indian naval motorboat and a passenger ferry that was heading to a well-known tourist destination off the Mumbai coast.
The accident happened around 4pm when the navy speedboat, which was manned by a crew of five, lost control during engine trials and struck the privately operated ferry, which was transporting over one hundred passengers. Authorities have reported that at least 13 fatalities resulted from this tragic event.
The Neelkamal, a privately owned ferry, capsized and sank while transporting around 110 people to the Elephanta Caves, a renowned tourist attraction and UNESCO World Heritage Site that dates back to the 5th and 6th centuries AD.
Video footage shared online captures the speedboat maneuvering erratically before it collided with the ferry at high speed.
According to local media, rescue operations were launched immediately with 11 Navy vessels, three Marine Police boats, a Coast Guard ship, and four helicopters deployed. Civilian personnel – the police, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, and local fishermen, also contributed to the search and rescue initiatives.
A total of 101 people had been rescued from the water, with four of the victims reported to be in critical condition and hospitalized, according to Maharashtra state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
In the official statement, Indian Navy “regretted” the “tragic loss” of life, stating that its speedboat “lost control while conducting engine trials in Mumbai Harbor due to an engine malfunction. Consequently, the boat collided with a passenger ferry, which then capsized.”
India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, extended his sympathies to the families affected by the tragedy. In a message posted on X, he stated, “I hope for a swift recovery for those injured,” while also declaring an ex-gratia payment of 200,000 rupees ($2,350) for the relatives of each deceased individual and 50,000 rupees for those who were injured.
