Boat tragedy off Mumbai coast claims 13 lives; Maharashtra Minister promises action

At least 13 people, including a naval officer, died when a speeding Indian Navy boat, which was undergoing engine trials, lost control and collided with a passenger ferry off the Mumbai coast on Wednesday, the Indian Navy said.

In the statement, the Navy said 13 people, including a naval officer and two people from the original equipment manufacturer, were killed in the accident.

The ferry was carrying passengers from Gateway of India to Elephanta Island, a popular tourist destination because of the rock cut cave temples famously known as the Elephanta Caves.

A video of the accident was captured on camera which shows the navy craft, carrying five people, speeding towards the ferry boat after losing control.

Ten ferry passengers were killed, while the remaining 102, including the two survivors from the navy craft, were rescued.

A day after the tragedy, Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant said action will be taken after a probe into the incident.

“Inquiry will be done in the whole matter and action will be taken accordingly. If there is some technical error then it is okay but if someone was driving a speedboat just for enjoyment then action should be taken against them,” Uday Samant told ANI.

Detailing the incident, the Indian Navy in a statement said: “At about 1600 hours (4 pm), a navy craft undergoing engine trials lost control and collided with a passenger ferry, Neel Kamal, off Karanja, Mumbai. The ferry was carrying passengers from Gateway of India to Elephanta Island.”

The Navy in coordination with the Coast Guard and Marine Police launched an immediate search and rescue operation.

“Four naval helicopters, 11 naval craft, one Coast Guard boat and three Marine Police boats are undertaking rescue efforts. The survivors picked up by Navy and civil craft in the area have been transferred to jetties and hospitals in the vicinity. So far 99 survivors have been rescued,” it said.

The video of the speedboat colliding with the ferry surfaced over two hours after the accident happened.

Earlier, it was reported the ferry started sinking. However, the cause was not known.

The boat had sailed from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island, off the Mumbai coast.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths and announced some immediate compensation.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister’s office said: “The boat mishap in Mumbai is saddening. Condolences to the bereaved families. I pray that the injured recover soon. Those affected are being assisted by the authorities: PM @narendramodi.”

“The Prime Minister has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased in the boat mishap in Mumbai. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000.”

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was “deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives in the collision between passenger ferry and the Indian Navy craft in Mumbai harbour…”

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 5 lakh from the CM’s Relief Fund to the families of those who died in the accident.

More visuals show people wearing life jackets being rescued and shifted to another boat, while the vessel began tilting towards the water surface.

The Indian Navy and the Coast Guard carried out the rescue operation, with 11 navy boats, three boats of the Marine Police, and a boat of the Coast Guard deployed in the area, a defence official said.