At least 13 people lost their lives after a ferry carrying over 100 passengers capsized off the coast of Mumbai following a collision with an Indian Navy speedboat on Wednesday, officials confirmed.
In a statement on X, the Navy reported that 99 individuals were rescued, with search operations ongoing for the remaining passengers. The incident occurred when an Indian Navy craft experienced an engine malfunction during trials in Mumbai Harbor, leading to a collision with the privately-owned passenger ferry, Neel Kamal. The impact caused the ferry to capsize.
Local television footage showed the speedboat striking the ferry, triggering the accident. A passenger recounted, “The speedboat crashed into our vessel, water started flooding in, and the boat overturned. The driver urged us to wear lifejackets.” Another survivor, who swam for 15 minutes before being rescued, said, “I was pulled aboard another boat.”
The ill-fated ferry was en route to the Elephanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a popular tourist destination near Mumbai. These caves, dating back to the 5th-6th centuries A.D., are frequently visited by tourists using boats that depart from the Gateway of India, about an hour away.
