The accident occurred in the coastal town of Tanur in Malappuram district of Kerala state and rescue operations are still underway.
At least 22 people have died after a double-decker boat capsized off the coastal town of Tanur in Malappuram district of Kerala state, south India, local authorities said.
Abdul Nasir, a junior police inspector in Malappuram district, said the boat, which was carrying about 40 passengers, capsized at around 7 pm local time (13:30 GMT) on Sunday evening as it was overcrowded.
“We have recovered 22 bodies including women and children. The rescue operation is still underway,” Malappuram firefighting official Moses Vadakithil said on Monday.
It was not clear why the tourist boat capsized near Thuval Theram beach in Tannur.
Malappuram boat accident | The death toll rose to 22. It was not possible to ascertain the exact number of people on board. CM will arrive here at about 9:30 am. The search is ongoing. The NDRF and Fire and Diving teams are conducting the search. Navy … https://t.co/M2qZ2zAhCs pic.twitter.com/Bn7VjoaU23
– Ani (ANI) May 8, 2023
The state’s Minister of Sports and Fisheries, V.I. Abdul Rahman, who was helping to coordinate the rescue effort, said most of the victims were children during the school holidays.
Abdul Rahman told reporters Sunday evening that the death toll is likely to rise as the boat got stuck in muddy water and was pulled to rescue those trapped inside.
“We are saddened by the loss of life due to the boat accident in Malappuram, Kerala state,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a tweet.
The chief minister of the state, who will visit the area later on Monday, tweeted his condolences to the families of the victims and urged the district authorities to supervise the rescue operation.
Monday has been declared an official day of mourning, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, citing a government statement.
Survivors claimed the boat was overcrowded, and most of the passengers had no life jackets, according to Indian media reports. The NDTV website stated in its report that the boat did not have a safety certificate either.
According to local reports, the police registered a murder case against the owner of the boat.
Boat accidents are common in India, where many ships are overcrowded and do not have adequate 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 area.
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