Mumbai: Ferry With 85 Passengers Onboard Capsizes Near Gateway of India, 2 Dead, 77 Rescued

Efforts to rescue the passengers are underway with the help of the Navy, Coast Guard, Yellowgate Police Station, and local fishing boats. The cause of the accident is unknown.

At least two persons died after a ferry named 'Neelkamal' capsized near Mumbai's Gateway of India on Wednesday. It is being said that there were 85 people on board and so far 77 passengers have been rescued. Efforts to rescue the five missing passengers are underway with the help of the Navy, Coast Guard, Yellowgate Police Station, and local fishing boats. 

According to preliminary information, it was said that there were 30 to 35 passengers on the ferry. However, it has now come to the fore that there were nearly 85 passengers onboard. The cause of the accident and the exact number of passengers remain unconfirmed.

The incident took place when the boat was travelling from the Gateway to Elephanta Island near Uran, Karanja. The search operations are being carried out by ICG ships and the survivors are on board Indian Coast Guard ship Subhadra Kumari Chauhan, Indian Coast Guard officials told news agency ANI.

Visuals from the site showed passengers wearing life jackets being rescued and shifted to another boat, while the vessel slowly sank into the sea.

Reacting to the Mumbai boat accident, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said: "I have received preliminary information. Approximately 30 to 35 people have been on that boat. Out of them, 20 people have been rescued. Preliminary information is that 5 to 7 people are still missing. I will make a statement in the House as soon as I receive detailed information. The boat had left for Elephanta at around 3.15 pm."

Shiv Sena (UBT) Leader Aaditya Thackrey stated that he had raised the matter in the House, adding that rescue was underway. "As per the information, one boat has capsized. There were around 30-35 people on board. We raised the issue in the House. The CM has said that the rescue operations are underway. We hope that everyone is safe. There is a report of one death".

According to a report by the Times of India, the rescue operation involves 11 Navy boats, three marine police boats, and one Coast Guard Vessel, which are coordinating to actively search the sea. Besides this, four helicopters have been deployed for Search and Rescue operations.