Survivor contests Navy claim, says speedboat driver's stunt caused tragedy

A survivor of the fatal speedboat-ferry collision in Mumbai has accused the Navy speedboat driver of "showing off" and "being in a playful mood" before the crash that claimed 14 lives. Gautam Gupta, who lost his aunt in the incident, described the driver's reckless maneuvering, which ultimately led to the collision with the ferry carrying passengers to Elephanta Island.

Gupta, contesting the Navy's claim of "engine failure" in the speedboat leading to the crash, described the vessel's driver as someone who was "showing off."

He said many passengers, including himself, were busy recording videos of the speedboat as the driver zig-zagged through the waters. "It felt like a display," Gupta said.

As they headed towards Elephanta Island, he said the speedboat approached with 5 to 6 people on board. "The driver was in a playful mood, zig-zagging through the waters. Suddenly, he turned the speedboat and headed directly towards us. He must have thought he could pass by our ferry narrowly, but his stunt ended in tragedy," Gupta said.

At the time of the collision, many passengers on the ferry were reportedly not wearing life jackets.

Initially, Gupta did not grasp the gravity of the situation. "One occupant from the speedboat was thrown onto our ferry. We assumed our ferry was safe and that no damage had occurred. But soon, the ferry began to sink," he said.

"Before the collision, the speedboat driver was moving freely, and the passengers on board appeared calm. If there had been a problem with the boat, they would not have been so relaxed," he maintained.