The horrific accident of a passenger ferry and a naval speed boat near Mumbai has shocked the nation. Neel Kamal, the passenger ferry carrying more than 100 passengers from Gateway of India to Gharapuri island, where the historical Elephanta Caves are situated, capsized in the Arabian Sea after the naval speedboat collided into it. So far 13 people have been confirmed dead and a search was on for two missing — a man and a child. The incident has raised several questions that must be answered by the authorities.
The first question is whether the passenger ferry had deviated from its approved course or not. It can be easily answered as all vessels in the waters around Mumbai are tracked by the Mumbai Port Trust through Vehicle Tracking System (VTS). All vessels, including fishing boats and passenger ferries, have the Automatic Identification System installed. This was made mandatory after 10 Pakistani terrorists entered Mumbai via sea route on November 26, 2008.
As per the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMb) safety norms, a passenger ferry must carry life jackets for more than 100 per cent passengers. Annual MMB inspection of all registered vessels is mandatory. Fire and safety equipment must be checked in the annual inspection. Were more life jackets available on Neel Kamal than the number of onboard passengers and does the annual MMB inspection confirm it?
The Navy also needs to come clean. As per their official statement, a new engine was installed on the speedboat and a trial was being conducted when the accident occurred. If that is true, the Navy ought to have issued an alert about its exercise taking place on the route of a civilian ferry. As per the general practice, other vessels are not allowed to enter the area of naval exercise. However, as per the preliminary information, no alert was given by the Navy about Wednesday’s exercise. If there was an alert issued, its proof should be made public.
The state government and Navy have announced a joint investigation into the tragic accident. The investigation must answer the above questions.
