Mumbai boat tragedy: Ferry ‘Neel Kamal’ was packed beyond capacity, say police

The Mumbai police on Thursday said the ferry ‘Neel Kamal’ that capsized after being hit by a Navy craft off the Gateway of India had a capacity of 90 passengers but had over 100 persons on board.

Thirteen persons, including Navy personnel and two contractual naval employees, were killed in the accident on Wednesday afternoon and 98 were rescued.

According to the documents issued by the Maharashtra Maritime Board concerning the boat, it had permission to carry 84 passengers and 6 crew members but the ferry was carrying over a hundred persons, a police official said.

Police have gathered all the documents related to the boat, he said.

A case has been registered against the Navy craft driver at the Colaba police station, the official said.

The BNS sections invoked in the FIR included those related to causing death by negligence, actions that endanger the personal safety or life of others, rash or negligent navigation of a vessel and acts of mischief that cause wrongful loss or damage to individuals or the public.

There were two German nationals and one Canadian on board ‘Neel Kamal’ at the time of the mid-sea collision and they were safely rescued, he said.

Cops have so far recorded the statements of nine persons who were rescued by the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, Mumbai police and CISF teams and identification of all the 13 bodies has been done, he said.

The accident-affected Naval craft is in the custody of the Indian Navy and police will demand it whenever needed for the investigation, he said.

Meanwhile, the mangled passenger ferry has been taken to ‘Bhaucha Dhakka’ (a wharf near Dockyard Road) in south Mumbai, another official said.

Of the 113 persons on board both vessels, 13 died and 98, including two injured, were rescued. There were six persons on board the Navy craft, of which two survived, officials have said. Efforts are underway to trace two missing passengers, they have said.