13 killed after Navy speedboat collides with ferry near Mumbai

Mumbai (NDTV): An Indian Navy speedboat that was undergoing engine trials lost control and collided with a passenger ferry off the Mumbai coast today. The navy in a statement said 13 people including a naval officer and two people from the original equipment manufacturer were killed in the accident.

A video of the accident was captured on camera from the ferry which was carrying 110 people. The navy craft was carrying five people.

Ten ferry passengers were killed, while the remaining 102 including the two survivors from the navy craft were rescued. 

"At about 1600 hours (4 pm), a navy craft undergoing engine trials lost control and collided with a passenger ferry, Neel Kamal, off Karanja, Mumbai. The ferry was carrying passengers from Gateway of India to Elephanta Island," the navy said in a statement.

The video of the speedboat colliding with the ferry surfaced over two hours after the accident happened.

Earlier, it was reported the ferry started sinking, but the cause was not known. The boat had sailed from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island, off the Mumbai coast. The Colaba police have started the process of registering an FIR in the incident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "The boat mishap in Mumbai is saddening. Condolences to the bereaved families. I pray that the injured recover soon."

The Prime Minister's Office announced a compensation of ₹ 2 lakh for the family of the victims and ₹ 50,00 aid for the injured.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was "deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives in the collision between passenger ferry and the Indian Navy craft in Mumbai harbour..."

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that an ex-gratia of ₹ 5 lakh would be given from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to the families of those who died in the accident.

More visuals show people wearing life jackets being rescued and shifted to another boat, while the vessel began tilting towards the water surface.

The Indian Navy and the Coast Guard carried out the rescue operation, with 11 navy boats, three boats of the Marine Police and a boat of the Coast Guard deployed in the area, a defence official said.