Indian Navy Speedboat and Ferry Collision: Admiral Expresses Sorrow; Investigation Launched
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Mumbai, Dec 19 (NationPress) The Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi and the Indian Navy expressed their deepest sympathies to the families mourning the loss of victims from the collision between a naval speedboat and a passenger ferry in the Arabian Sea on Wednesday. The search efforts persist for two individuals still unaccounted for.
A Board of Inquiry has been initiated by the Indian Navy to investigate the mid-sea incident, which involved a speedboat undergoing engine trials that lost control and collided with a ferry carrying over 100 tourists.
This tragic event transpired approximately 5 km off the Gateway of India, resulting in the deaths of four out of six crew members aboard the speedboat, along with nine civilians traveling in a private vessel named 'Neelkamal' on their way to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Elephanta Isles.
The casualties included a naval officer and three OEMs, while the tourists, primarily hailing from various regions of India, comprised two minors, six females, and a number of males. Additionally, two individuals remain missing.
Search and rescue operations were resumed this morning to locate the two missing persons in what has been termed one of the most catastrophic maritime disasters in the vicinity of Mumbai.
According to an official report, the Indian Navy has mobilized a helicopter, eight ships, and a vessel from the Indian Coast Guard for the overnight search efforts, which continued until this evening (December 19). Meanwhile, regular ferry services to and from Elephanta operated as scheduled.
The proprietor of the 'Neelkamal', Rajendra Padte, stated that the vessel had set sail on its usual tourism journey to Elephanta Islands around 3:15 PM, and that the tragic collision occurred shortly thereafter, asserting, "but it was not our fault".
Officials indicated that the speedboat encountered mechanical failure during the engine trials, leading the pilot to lose control and crash into the tourist boat at full speed. Chilling footage of the incident emerged late last night.
Jayant P. Patil, General Secretary of the Peasants & Workers Party of India (PWP) and former legislator, condemned the relevant authorities for the substantial tragedy that ensued, as the 'Neelkamal' sank soon afterwards.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with several opposition leaders, expressed their sorrow over the tragedy and the loss of innocent lives.
The Prime Minister has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh, while the Chief Minister declared a compensation of Rs 5 lakhs for each deceased's family, in addition to financial support for the injured.
The victims have been identified as follows: two minors, Nidhish Rakesh Ahire, an 8-year-old boy from Nashik, and Mahi Sairam Pavra, a 3-year-old girl from Dhule; alongside five women: Harshada Rakesh Ahire, 31 (Nashik), Shafina Ashraf Pathan, 34 (Goa), Rama Ratidevi Gupta, 50 (Palghar), Pragnya Vinod Kamble, 39 (Navi Mumbai).
The other deceased males included T. Deepak, approximately 40 years old, and Mahendrasingh Vijaysingh Shekhawat, 31, both affiliated with the Indian Navy (Mumbai and Raigad), as well as Rakesh Nanaji Ahire, 34 (Nashik), Pravin Ramnath Sharma, 34 (Andhra Pradesh), Mangesh Mahadev Kelkar, 33 (Thane), Mohammed Rehman Qureshi, 35 (Bihar), and Deepak Neelkanth Wakchaure, 50 (Mumbai).
