In a tragic maritime disaster off the coast of Mumbai, a speedboat belonging to the Indian Navy collided with a passenger ferry, resulting in the loss of 13 lives, including four naval personnel. The incident occurred on Wednesday evening near the Gateway of India in the Arabian Sea. The ferry, named 'Neelkamal', was en route from the Gateway of India to the Elephanta Isles, a UNESCO World Heritage site, when it was struck by the Navy speedboat.
The Indian Navy, Marine Police, and other agencies have since launched a search and rescue operation to locate two tourists who are still missing following the collision. The search operation resumed on Thursday morning, with vessels deployed around 5 kilometers from the Gateway of India, near the Butcher Island oil terminal.
The Indian Navy has officially stated that the speedboat was undergoing engine trials when it developed a snag. The pilot lost control of the vessel, which then rammed into the tourist boat with full force. The collision was captured in chilling videos that surfaced late Wednesday night.
The 'Neelkamal' was carrying over 100 tourists and five crew members when the disaster struck around 4 P.M. The Navy's rigid inflatable boat crashed into the ferry at high speed, causing it to overturn and throwing most of the passengers into the sea near Karanja on the Raigad coast, about 10 kilometers from the Gateway of India.
Rajendra Padte, the owner of 'Neelkamal', stated that the ferry had departed on its regular voyage to the Elephanta Islands around 3.15 P.M. The tragedy was reported just a few minutes later. Padte insisted that the accident was not their fault.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from various quarters. Jayant P. Patil, General Secretary of the Peasants & Workers Party of India (PWP) and former legislator, who was present at the spot, slammed the authorities for the massive tragedy. The 'Neelkamal' sank shortly after the collision.
Prominent leaders, including President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with several Opposition leaders, have expressed their condolences for the tragedy and the loss of innocent lives. The Prime Minister announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh, and the Chief Minister announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the kin of each deceased, in addition to financial assistance for all the injured.
Following the disaster, a total of 57 people were admitted to the JNPA Hospital, 24 to the Naval Dockyard medical facility, one to INHS Ashvini Hospital, 13 to INHS Sanghani (Karanja), 10 to St. George Hospital, and 12 to a hospital on the mainland at Karanja. Around eight people who have recovered have been discharged from the concerned hospitals.
This incident is reminiscent of a similar maritime disaster that occurred in the South China Sea, where two vessels, one from China and the other from the Philippines, collided. The incident led to a heated blame game between the two countries, with each accusing the other of being responsible for the collision.
