Mumbai boat mishap: 6-year-old boy's body recovered; death toll rises to 15

Mumbai (The Uttam Hindu): The body of a six-year-old boy, who has been missing since the December 18 crash of an Indian Navy speedboat with a crowded passenger ferry, off the Gateway of India, was found after nearly 72 hours, an official said here on Saturday. The rescue teams had traced the body of another missing man from the Arabian Sea waters on Friday, and now the toll in the coastal city's worst maritime disaster has shot up to 15.

The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Disaster Control and the Indian Navy confirmed the recovery on Saturday. However, the Indian Navy added that a search still continues in the vicinity of the crash – around 5 km away -- to locate the wreckage of the ferry boat and ascertain that there are no more victims trapped in it. It may be recalled that on Wednesday around 4 p.m., an Indian Navy speedboat out for engine trials developed a snag, lost control and rammed at full speed into the private ferry, "Neelkamal" taking around 110 tourists to the World UNESCO site, Elephanta Islands.

The collision saw 13 people getting killed - and another two missing, whose bodies have been recovered now – including one Indian Navy personnel and 3 OEM representatives. The Mumbai Police have registered a FIR on the mishap, while the Indian Navy has ordered a Board of Inquiry to ascertain what exactly went wrong. A majority of the tourists were from outside Maharashtra and a few foreigners who were flung into the sea due to the impact of the deadly crash in one of the main shipping channels of the busy Mumbai Harbour, near the tiny Butcher Island oil terminal, en route to the Elephanta Isles.

The fatalities comprised 3 minors including a girl, 5 women and 7 males, said the officials, and several of the injured are still undergoing treatment. President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, leaders of various political parties and others grieved over the tragedy and loss of lives.