Tourist Boat Capsizes in Southern India, Kills More than 20
- AP Photo/P.P. Afthab.
VIVA – A double-decker boat carrying more than 30 passengers capsized on Sunday night off a beach in Southern India, and more than 20 people including children died, officials informed.
Police officer Abdul Nazar said the rescue teams were expecting to recover more bodies from inside the boat after pulling it ashore from the muddy waters. "India’s National Disaster Response Force and the Indian Coast Guard personnel were engaged in rescue work and trying to find those who were still missing," Nazar said.
The tourist boat capsized near the estuary of the Poorappuzha River in Tanur, a coastal town in Kerala state’s Malappuram district, and most of the passengers were tourists. Nazar stated that authorities were investigating the cause of the accident and it appeared the boat capsized due to overcrowding.
Sebuah kapal wisata bertingkat terbalik menyebabkan 22 orang tewas.
- AP Photo/P.P. Afthab.
The dead included children who had come for a ride on the boat during their school vacation, Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman said, adding that four people in critical condition were admitted to a hospital.
Monday has been declared a day of official mourning, PTI reported, quoting a government statement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “pained by the loss of lives” and announced compensation to the victim’s families in a tweet.
Boating accidents are common in India, where many vessels are overcrowded and have inadequate safety equipment.
In September 2020, 12 people drowned when a sightseeing boat capsized on the swollen Godavari River in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. In May 2018, 30 people died when a boat capsized in the same region.