Mumbai: In a gruesome maritime disaster, 13 people, including an officer of the Indian Navy and two contractual naval employees, were killed when a naval speedboat that was carrying out engine trials dashed against a passenger ferry in Mumbai on December 18.
The passenger boat, reported to be a private catamaran named ‘Neelkamal’, was ferrying around 110 tourists plus five crew members to the world-famous UNESCO Heritage Elephanta Islands, and the disaster occurred around 5.15 pm, said the BMC Disaster Control.
The passenger ferry had set sail at 3:15 pm and the mid-sea crash took place at 3:55 pm. A statement issued by the Navy said: “At about 1600 hours on December 18, 2024, a Navy craft (speedboat) undergoing engine trials lost control and collided with a passenger ferry, Neel Kamal, off Butcher Island. Four naval helicopters, 11 naval crafts (vessels), three Coast Guard boats and an equal number of Marine Police boats were involved in the rescue efforts.”
At 4 pm, personnel from a pilot vessel of the Jawaharlal Nehru Authority (JNPA), which was near the accident site, started rescue operations and saved 56 passengers. Soon after, a few private vessels collaborated in the operation and were eventually joined by Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Police.
A primary investigation by the Navy has shown that the engine of the Naval vessel had malfunctioned, the Hindustan Times reported. The Navy will also investigate if the engines were of inferior quality. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Indian Navy have ordered two separate inquiries into the accident. He said that a new engine was fitted to the naval speedboat which was being tested by Navy personnel when the mishap occurred.
| Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh for families of the deceased and assured a thorough investigation by local authorities and the Navy, to uncover the cause of the collision and assess if there were any lapses in safety protocols. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced Rs 2 lakh from the PM relief fund, for the families of the dead, and Rs 50,000 for the injured. |
