Mumbai, Dec 19: The search and rescue operations resumed on Thursday morning to trace out at least two tourists still ‘missing’ after an Indian Navy speedboat crashed into a passenger ferry off the Gateway of India in the Arabian Sea on Wednesday evening claiming 13 lives, including that of four naval personnel, officials said.

In one of the worst-ever maritime disasters around Mumbai, 13 people were killed while another 105 were rescued when the chockful ferry, ‘Neelkamal’ was going from Gateway of India to Elephanta Isles, the famed UNESCO World Heritage site and was hit by the Navy speedboat.

An official said that the Indian Navy, Marine Police and other agencies have deployed their vessels to search for the two persons who were thrown into the waters after the deadly collision in mid-sea, around 5 kms from the Gateway of India, in the water channel near the tiny Butcher Island oil terminal.

The Indian Navy officially said that one of its speedboats which was on engine trials developed a snag, the pilot lost control and rammed with full force into the tourist boat, as chilling videos of the incident surfaced late last night.

The passenger boat, a private catamaran named ‘Neelkamal’, was ferrying more than 100 tourists plus five crew members when the disaster struck like a bolt from the blue, around 4 P.M.

Official sources said that the Navy’s rigid inflatable boat undergoing engine trials crashed into the ‘Neelkamal’ at high speed, overturning it and throwing most of the tourists into the sea near Karanja on the Raigad coast, around 10 kms from the origin point, Gateway of India.

The owner of the vessel, Rajendra Padte, said that the ‘Neelkamal’ had departed on its regular voyage to Elephanta Islands around 3.15 P.M and barely a couple of minutes later the tragedy was reported, “but it was not our fault”.

Peasants & Workers Party of India (PWP) General Secretary and ex-legislator Jayant P. Patil, who was present at the spot slammed the concerned authorities for the massive tragedy with the ‘Neelkamal’ sinking soon afterwards.

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis plus several Opposition leaders condoled the tragedy and the loss of innocent lives.

The PM announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh and the CM announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of each deceased, plus financial assistance to all the injured.

A civic official said that the JNPA Hospital has admitted 57 people, 24 in the Naval Dockyard medical facility, one in INHS Ashvini Hospital, 13 in INHS Sanghani (Karanja), 10 in St. George Hospital, and 12 in a hospital on the mainland at Karanja, plus around 8 who recovered have been discharged from the concerned hospitals.

Mumbai: In a shocking incident, a ferry which was travelling from Mumbai’s Gateway of India to Elephanta Island started sinking in the Arabian Sea on Wednesday. There are reports that around 30 passengers onboard the ferry when the incident occurred. Rescue operation is being carried and the passengers are being taken out from the sinking boat.

As per reports, the boat named Neelkamal was traveling with 30 to 35 passengers onboard. Currently, a rescue operation is underway by the defense forces. Neelkamal ferry boat was hit by the Pilot vessel at stern which led to the capsize of the boat. The incident occurred near Uran, Kunja.

As per reports, another speed boat which is said to be a patrolling boat collided with the ferry from behind due to which the ferry capsized. The collision led to the boat overturning, with around 50 passengers onboard. Rescue operations were immediately launched in coordination with the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Police.

A total of 15 boats have been deployed in the area, including 11 Navy boats, 3 Marine Police boats, and 1 Coast Guard boat. Additionally, four helicopters are actively conducting search and rescue (SAR) missions to locate and assist survivors. So far, 66 people have been rescued from the waters. Unfortunately, three casualties have been confirmed, with their bodies recovered. The exact number of missing persons and potential casualties remains uncertain as the rescue efforts continue.

Nagpur (Maharashtra), Dec 17: Continuing to take potshots at the government, Maharashtra Congress President Nana F. Patole claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA is attempting to ‘murder’ the Indian democratic system through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), here on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media, Patole said that the EVMs used in the Lok Sabha elections were not utilised for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, for which EVMs were allegedly brought here from Gujarat.

“There is a gross misuse of EVMs. BJP members are sitting on the board of directors of the companies manufacturing EVMs. The EVMs deployed during the Lok Sabha polls were not used for the state Assembly polls and for this, the EVMs were sent from Gujarat,” contended Patole.

He again slammed the Election Commission of India (ECI) for “failing to exercise its constitutional powers” and alleged that all its operations are conducted at the behest of the BJP, “thus revealing their (ECI’s) mindset” – though the government and ECI have rubbished all anti-EVM allegations.

Taking a swipe at the One Nation-One Election, Patole added that the BJP-RSS’ machinations to end the country’s democracy are evident by the ‘One Nation, No Election’ bill brought before Parliament on Tuesday.

Earlier, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) legislators continued their strong protests for the second day against EVMs, the plight of farmers, the custodial death of a Parbhani Dalit man Somnath Vyankat Suryawanshi in judicial custody, and the killing of a Beed Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.

The MVA legislators of Congress-Shiv Sena (UBT)-Nationalist Congress Party (SP) raised slogans and carried placards condemning the MahaYuti government, targeted the police for alleged atrocities in Parbhani and protecting the culprits in the Beed case, plus sought action against the officials concerned in both matters.

Amid the growing clamour from the Opposition, the Speaker said that the Parbhani matter would be taken up for discussion on Wednesday by the Assembly.