At least 22 people died and several others were injured when a double-decker boat capsized off the coastal town of Tanur in the Malappuram district of India’s southern state of Kerala on Sunday evening. Survivors have alleged that the boat was overcrowded and did not have sufficient safety equipment.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has asked that the rescue operation be overseen by the district government. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi promised a Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the victims. Kerala Tourism Minister Mohammed Riyas is also on his way to Thanoor from Kozhikode to offer assistance to the rescue operations. The Indian Navy has also deployed two helicopters as well as more than a dozen divers to assist in the rescue operations.
The Boat Mishap in Malappuram
At least 22 people died and eight others were injured after a double-decker boat capsized off the coastal town of Tanur in the Malappuram district of India’s southern state of Kerala on Sunday evening. The incident occurred at about 7 pm local time (13:30 GMT) as the boat, which was carrying around 40 odd passengers, was overcrowded, according to Abdul Nazar, Malappuram district’s junior superintendent of police, who gave a statement to local news sources. Survivors said that the vessel was packed, with most passengers lacking life jackets. The boat did not have a safety certificate either. Attempts are currently being made to tow the wrecked boat to land.
While officials are yet to determine the exact number of people in the boat, they believe that around 40 people were present on the boat at the time of the incident. The boat contained two decks, one on which passengers could stand and one on which they could sit. The incident has brought to light the lack of safety standards on boats operating in India, where boating accidents are common due to its massive coastline and water sources.
Rescue Operation and Condolences
The rescue operation is ongoing, and several people are still trapped inside the capsized boat, which is stuck in muddy waters. The death toll is likely to rise, V Abdurahiman, the state’s sports and fisheries minister, told local news sources that most of the victims were children on school holidays.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his sympathies to the victims’ families and promised a Rs 2 lakh compensation from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for them. The Prime Minister’s official twitter account posted that an ex-gratia grant of Rs 2 lakhs would be provided to the next of kin to each deceased.
Monday has been declared a day of official mourning, in the state of Kerala, National news sources quoted a government statement. President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed their condolences and wished for the speedy recovery of those injured.
The incident has once again highlighted the need for better safety standards on boats operating in India, where boating accidents are common.In September 2020, 12 people died after a tour boat sank on the flooded Godavari River, located in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, and 30 people drowned in the same location in May 2018. In both cases, overcrowding and inadequate safety equipment were identified as the main reasons for the accidents.Â
Police have registered a case for culpable homicide against the boat’s owner in the current case. The Indian government should take concrete steps to ensure that safety equipment is made mandatory on all vessels and that operators adhere to safety guidelines to prevent such accidents from occurring in the future.
