GUWAHATI: Search and rescue operations by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard are ongoing after a ferry accident in Mumbai Harbour on Wednesday, December 18, claimed 13 lives and left two people, including a man and a boy, missing.
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The accident occurred when an Indian Navy ship lost control during an engine test and collided with a passenger ferry carrying approximately 110 people, including 20 children. The ferry capsized following the collision.
Among those aboard, four of the six marines on the naval craft died, and one was critically injured. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) confirmed that 105 passengers were transported to hospitals, with 90 in stable condition and two in critical condition.
Following the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the families of the deceased. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also extended further support, including ₹5 lakh in compensation for the victims’ families.
The Indian Navy, meanwhile, has initiated a Board of Inquiry to investigate the incident and is working with agencies, including the Mumbai police, to determine whether the collision resulted from technical failure or human negligence.