Ferry sinks off Mumbai coast as Navy boat rams it; 13 killed, 99 rescued

Thirteen persons died and 99 others were rescued after a Navy craft crashed into a ferry off the Mumbai coast on Wednesday, the Navy said.

At about 4 pm, a Navy craft undergoing engine trials lost control and collided with passenger ferry Neel Kamal off Karanja near Mumbai, the Navy said in a statement.

The ferry was carrying passengers from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island, a popular tourist destination.

“Search and rescue efforts were immediately launched by the Navy in coordination with the Coast Guard and Marine Police. Four naval helicopters, 11 naval craft, one Coast Guard boat and three Marine Police boats were involved in the rescue efforts,” the Navy said.

“The survivors picked up by Navy and civil craft in the area have been transferred to jetties and hospitals in the vicinity. So far 99 survivors have been rescued,” it added.

The accident led to the loss of 13 lives, including a Naval personnel and two from the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) on board the Naval craft, the Navy said.

Accounting of all personnel is in progress along with SAR efforts in the area, it said.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters in Nagpur that 101 persons have been rescued.

“Deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives in the collision between passenger ferry and Indian Navy craft in Mumbai Harbour. Injured personnel, including naval personnel & civilians from both vessels, are receiving urgent medical care,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh posted on X.

“My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Extensive search & rescue efforts are ongoing by the Indian Navy & Coast Guard, deploying multiple assets, to locate missing persons,” Singh added.

Fadnavis said 13 persons, including 10 civilians and three from the Navy, were declared dead by Naval doctors till 7.30 pm.

He said the Navy, Coast Guard and Mumbai Police launched rescue operations immediately.

Four naval helicopters and 11 crafts were pressed into service. The rescue operations are underway, he said.

Fadnavis declared financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of victims of the "extremely unfortunate" tragedy from the CM's Relief Fund.

Meanwhile, an FIR under relevant sections of the new criminal code BNS was registered at the Colaba police station in south Mumbai against the Navy speed boat driver and others responsible for the tragedy, an official said.

The FIR was filed on a complaint lodged by survivor Natharam Chaudhary (22), a resident of Mumbai's Sakinaka area, he 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.

Late in the night, police released the names of ten of the deceased who have been identified.

They are: 1) Mahendra Singh Shekhawat (Navy); 2) Praveen Sharma (worker on NAD boat); 3) Mangesh (worker on NAD boat); 4) Mohammad Rehan Qureshi (passenger boat); 5) Rakesh Nanaji Ahire (passenger Boat); 6) Safiana Pathan; 7) Mahi Pawara (aged 3); 8) Akshata Rakesh Ahire; 9) Mithu Rakesh Ahire (aged 8) and 10) Deepak V.

Two women and a male victim were yet to be identified, according to the police.

This was the second accident involving the Navy in less than a month. On November 21, INS Karanj, a submarine, collided with a fishing vessel, FV Marthoma, in the Arabian Sea off the Goa coast, killing two persons.

CISF rescued 56 passengers using pilot boat

The Central Industrial Security Force jawans swiftly rescued 56 individuals from a ferry hit by a Navy craft off the Mumbai coast on Wednesday, officials said.

The mid-sea tragedy claimed 13 lives while 99 others were rescued, the Navy said.

Central Industrial Security Force stated its jawans sailed to the accident spot near Butcher Island, approximately 6 km from the Jawaharlal Nehru Port, in a patrolling boat and carried out rescue operations.

Tragically, the ferry capsized following the collision, the CISF said in a statement.

The CISF patrolling boat, alongside resources from MBPT (Mumbai Port Trust), the Navy, Coast Guard, and Coastal Police, swiftly responded to the situation, it said.

A total of 56 individuals were rescued by the pilot boat SHM-XXIII and brought to the JNPA landing jetty. Unfortunately, one critically injured child was declared dead at JNPA Hospital, the CISF stated.

An additional 16 individuals were rescued and transported to Gateway of India and search efforts for the missing passengers are ongoing.

Although the accident site was beyond JNPA's patrolling limits, CISF boats immediately mobilised upon receiving information from the Port Control, the statement said.

All possible assistance was provided at the JNPA landing jetty to ensure the safe transfer of passengers needing medical care to JNPA Hospital.