Tanur: Rescue operations are underway at the estuary near Thooval Theeram at Ottumpuram here where a recreational boat, carrying around 35 passengers, capsized drowning at least 22 people.
The double-decker boat ‘Atlantic’, which met with the accident around 7 pm on Sunday, has been brought back to shore. Search operations led by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Navy, state fire and rescue officers and coast guard are underway.
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They are currently investigating whether anyone was missed during the operation that was carried out in the night. Lack of visibility was a hurdle at first. Besides, people getting stuck in the mud is also possible.
As per latest reports, the post mortem procedures of the victims have begun at the taluk hospital in Tirurangadi, Malappuram.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is scheduled to visit the accident site Monday morning, while an official day of mourning has been declared in the state to pay respect to those who lost their lives in the tragedy. All government events in the state, including the taluk-level adalats planned for May 8, have been postponed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu also condoled the accident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the victims.
Most of the passengers on the boat hailed from the Parappanangadi and Tanur regions, and the boat reportedly capsized and sank entirely. The absence of safety equipment on the boat, combined with a closed boat doors, exacerbated the danger. The boat owner is reportedly on the run.
Thooval Theeram is situated on the banks of the estuary at Ottumpuram, on the Parappanangadi-Tanur municipal boundary where the Poorapuzha river joins the Arabian Sea.
Published: 08 May 2023, 07:45 am IST
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