More than 20 dead after Indian boat capsizes
At least 22 people were killed when a boat carrying more than 40 passengers capsized off a beach in the southern Indian state of Kerala.
The incident happened at 7pm on Sunday, near Thooval Theeram Beach in the Tanur area of Malappuram.
The boat was carrying more than double its capacity, police said.
The dead included children and Indian media said some passengers were not wearing life jackets.
The owner, who has not yet been located by the authorities, faces manslaughter charges.
“The boat capsized due to the [amount] of people. It was overburdened, although we don’t know the exact number of people on the boat yet. That will be investigated,” Vimal C, a police officer in Malappuram, told The National.
Benny VV, a senior officer, said at least 10 survivors were being treated in hospitals.
“We don’t have much hope of finding more bodies, but the search operation is on until we are sure,” he said.
Of the dead, 11 belonged to one family and included a 10-month-old baby.
The state said an investigation was under way and compensation of one million rupees ($12,200) was available to relatives of the dead.
Prakash Vellayil, a fisherman, told the Mathrubhumi newspaper that the double-decker vessel was a modified fishing boat filled beyond capacity.
Lubina, who refused to board the “overcrowded” boat, said only children sitting on the upper deck were wearing life jackets.
Yesterday was declared a day of official mourning, PTI news agency reported, quoting a government official.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “pained by the loss of lives”.
In 2020, 12 people died when a sightseeing boat capsized on the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh. Two years earlier, 30 died when a boat turned over on a river in the same state.