Mumbai: Two passengers lost their lives, and 75 others were rescued after a speed boat collided with a ferry near the Mumbai coast on Wednesday, officials confirmed.
The ferry, Neelkamal, carrying 80 passengers and five crew members, was en route to Elephanta Islands, a popular tourist destination, when the accident occurred. A viral video of the incident shows the speed boat circling the ferry before crashing into it.
A local leader alleged that the speed boat belonged to the Navy, but there has been no official confirmation from Navy authorities so far.
The Navy, along with the Coast Guard, launched a large-scale rescue operation involving 11 Navy boats, three Marine Police boats, and one Coast Guard vessel. Additionally, four helicopters were deployed to aid the efforts, a defence official reported. Local police, personnel from the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, and fishermen from the area also contributed to the rescue mission.
Speaking in the state assembly in Nagpur, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that search operations are ongoing for seven to eight passengers who are still unaccounted for. He added that the speed boat, suspected to belong to either the Navy or Coast Guard, appeared to lose control before colliding with the ferry.
Authorities are continuing investigations into the cause of the incident and working to locate the missing passengers.