Mumbai, December 18
Two persons on board were killed while 75 others were rescued after a boat capsized off the Mumbai coast of Maharashtra today. The police gave this information. The police said that many people are still missing and they are being searched for.
A senior police officer said that 80 passengers and five crew members were on board this boat named Neelkamal at the time of the accident. He said that the boat was going to ‘Elephanta’ Deep, a tourist spot near Mumbai, when a speed boat collided with it at around 4 pm. The alleged video of the incident has also been circulated.
A local leader claimed that the speed boat belonged to the Navy, but there has been no confirmation from the Navy. An official of the Ministry of Defense said that the Navy and the Coast Guard have launched a large-scale relief and rescue operation at the incident site. He said that 11 boats of the Navy, three boats of the Marine Police and one boat of the Coast Guard are being used in the rescue operation.
The official said that the help of four helicopters is also being taken for the search and rescue operation. He said that police, employees of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and fishermen of the area are involved in relief and rescue operations.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the state assembly in Nagpur that search is on for seven to eight passengers missing since the accident. They said that the speed boat lost control and collided with the boat. It is being told that the said speed boat belongs to the Navy or the Coast Guard. -News-Patiala
