Lagatar24 Desk
Mumbai: Mumbai’s Colaba Police have initiated an inquiry into the tragic boat collision in the Arabian Sea earlier this week that claimed 14 lives. The police have written to the Indian Navy and Maharashtra Maritime Board, demanding details regarding the trial run conducted by the Navy that led to the accident.
Key Questions Raised By Police
The police have sought clarity on why the trial was conducted on a heavily trafficked maritime route and who authorized the operation. Officials are also investigating the protocols in place for such trials and whether they were adequately followed.
Preliminary findings suggest that the naval boat involved in the collision may have experienced a throttle malfunction, causing it to lose control and crash into a passenger ferry en route to Elephanta Island. The investigation is also examining if the ferry had exceeded its passenger capacity.
Search And Rescue Updates
The death toll rose to 14 on Thursday after the recovery of a man’s body. Authorities are continuing their search for a seven-year-old boy who remains missing. Of the 113 people aboard the two vessels, 98 passengers, including two injured, were rescued. On the Navy craft, six personnel were present, of whom only two survived.
Navy Institutes Board Of Inquiry
The Indian Navy has set up a Board of Inquiry to investigate the collision. In the meantime, mandatory life jacket regulations have been imposed for all boat passengers departing from the Gateway of India.
Chief Concerns Moving Forward
The probe is expected to address:
•The exact cause of the throttle failure on the naval boat.
•The oversight, if any, in granting permission for the trial on a busy waterway.
•Compliance with passenger safety norms, including the provision of life jackets and adherence to seating capacity limits.
