Mumbai Ferry Accident: Panicked Parents Were About To ‘Throw Their Children Into Sea’, Here’s What Happened Next
At least 14 people were killed after a Navy boat rammed into the tourist ferry 'Neelkamal' when it was on its way to the Elephanta Island from the Gateway of India in Mumbai.
Mumbai Ferry Accident: As the tourist ferry began sinking off the Mumbai coast after its collision with a speed boat on December 18, worried parents onboard the boat planned on tossing their children into the sea water to save their lives. However, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) marine commandos rushed to the spot in time and assured everyone that they would be rescued and brought to the shore safely.
CISF constable Amol Savant, 36, along with his two colleagues were the first ones to respond after the fateful incident. They reached in their patrol boat at the accident site off the Mumbai coast at around 4 PM, with a plan of using the "golden hour" for first saving the most vulnerable passengers, including the children, news agency PTI reported.
Fourteen people were killed on Wednesday after a Navy boat rammed into the ferry 'Neel Kamal', which was on its way to the Elephanta Island from the Gateway of India in Mumbai late afternoon.
"We were on routine patrol at some distance off the shore when our walkie talkie crackled to inform us that a passenger ferry was sinking. I asked the pilot (speed boat driver) to go full throttle and we reached the accident site about 3-4 kms away in no time," Savant told PTI.
He recalled being "astonished to see the accident site". "But being a trained soldier, I understood what was to be done and how," he said.
The jawan, who is posted with the CISF unit that guards the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Navi Mumbai, further said: "We saw people were ready to throw their children in the ocean water thinking that they would be saved from the sinking ship. I asked them not to panic and not attempt this. We took charge of the situation soon."
Savant stated he was "shaken initially when he reached the site" but quickly decided to take action when he "saw the children hanging dangerously from whatever was left of the sinking ferry".
"Their helpless parents, I and my colleagues just caught hold of the children and brought them in our boat," he said, adding that they managed to rescue at least 6-7 children in the first attempt followed by women and men.
Savant recalled people screaming and requesting him to save their lives and how they successfully rescued 50-60 people onboard the ferry.
"There were many hands raised towards us, some screaming, some just requesting to save them. We don't know how many exactly but we were able to help and rescue as many as 50-60 people who were onboard that ill-fated ferry," Savant, who joined the CISF in 2010, said.
10-12 Victims Given CPR
Apart from Savant, 38-year-old Sub Inspector (SI) Kheioka Sema, posted with the CISF unit that provides counterterrorist security cover to the JNPA, was in the second patrol boat that arrived at the accident spot to rescue passengers.
"I saw a lady who was in the water wearing a life jacket but she had raised her hands in anticipation that she would be rescued. We rushed to her and gently asked her to put her hands down else the jacket would slip and she would start drowning," Sema said, adding that the woman was saved.
SI Sema, who joined the paramilitary force in 2018, stated they administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to nearly 10-12 persons to bring back their lost senses and even drained out the excess water they had swallowed.
The two CISF personnel said a foreigner couple onboard the ferry acted as 'Good Samaritans' as they volunteered for help and administered CPR to several victims.
"We fanned out to scan about a 300-metre radius looking for life. Our teams also picked up bags, life jackets and other stuff from the ocean water the passengers of 'Neel Kamal' were carrying," Sema said.
The CISF personnel posted on sea ports have been given training in marine operations, commando tactics and amphibious survival, and combat techniques.
"Our personnel who are posted to guard sea ports are essentially trained in marine commando operations, combat and survival techniques. They provide an armed security cover to such facilities against any sabotage or terrorist threat," CISF chief spokesperson and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Deepak Verma said.
"These men and women are also taken to the Chilika lake in Odisha as part of a special marine training capsule. We are proud of these personnel who were part of the rescue operation in Mumbai," he said.
A senior CISF officer told PTI that the accident site was way beyond the area of responsibility of the two security units deployed at the JNPA and the Mumbai Port Trust. "But the personnel displayed fine professionalism and devotion to duty by being the first responders to the tragedy and saving numerous lives," he said.
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