Mumbai ferry accident: The body of a seven-year-old boy, missing since the ferry-Navy craft collision off the Mumbai coast, was recovered Saturday morning following a three-day search operation, an official said, PTI reported.
The boy, identified as Johan Mohammad Nisar Ahmed Pathan, was located during a search-and-rescue operation involving naval boats, a helicopter, and Coast Guard vessels.
The death of the minor boy has raised the toll in the Neel Kamal ferry collision from 14 to 15. Of the 113 people aboard the two vessels, 15 have died, while 98 were rescued, including two who sustained injuries, officials said.
The accident took place on December 18 when a Navy craft undergoing engine trials lost control and collided with the passenger ferry Neel Kamal near the Mumbai harbor. The ferry, carrying over 100 passengers, was en route from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island, a popular tourist destination known for its ancient caves.
According to documents from the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), the ferry was licensed to carry 84 passengers and six crew members but was overloaded, violating the Inland Vessel Act. The MMB has since revoked the ferry’s license.
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The Colaba police have registered a case against the driver of the Navy craft under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for negligence, rash navigation, and actions endangering public safety.
The Navy has launched an internal investigation into the collision, which ranks among the deadliest in Mumbai’s harbor area. The accident-affected Navy craft remains in custody, and police will access it as needed for further investigation, authorities said.