Elephanta boat tragedy: Search operation on for 7-year-old boy missing after ferry-Navy craft crash

Pic/AFP

An official said that the search operation launched by naval boats to locate a seven-year-old boy missing after a Navy craft rammed into a ferry off the Mumbai coast three days ago continued on Saturday, reported news agency PTI.

The SAR (search and rescue) operation will continue at least till Saturday evening, the official said.

With the recovery of the body of a 43-year-old man on Thursday evening, the death toll in the December 18 Elephanta boat tragedy rose to 14, reported PTI.

The Navy has launched a probe into one of the deadliest crashes in the city's harbour area.

A naval helicopter and boats of the Navy and Coast Guard were deployed to look for the missing passengers as part of the SAR operation, the official said.

Of the 113 persons on board both the vessels, 14 died and 98, including two injured, were rescued.

There were six persons on board the Navy craft, of which two survived, the official said.

The tragedy struck when the speeding Navy craft undergoing engine trials lost control and collided with passenger ferry 'Neel Kamal' off near Mumbai coast. The ferry with more than 100 passengers was on its way from the Gateway of India to the Elephanta Island, a popular tourist attraction which has a collection of ancient caves.

According to the documents issued by the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), the boat had permission to carry 84 passengers and 6 crew members, but it was overloaded, a police official said, reported PTI.

The MMB, which is conducting an investigation into the accident, has cancelled the licence of the ferry as the vessel was overloaded, thus violating the Inland Vessel Act. The ferry had a capacity of 90 persons, an official said.

A case has been registered against the Navy craft driver at the Colaba police station, the official said, reported PTI.

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (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.

The accident-affected craft is in the custody of the Navy and police will demand it whenever needed for investigation, the official said.

(With inputs from PTI)