21 drown as ‘overloaded’ tourist boat with 30-­40 people sinks in Kerala

MALAPPURAM: A tourist boat capsized in the river off Ottupuram Thooval beach at Tanur in Malappuram district killing 15 people on Sunday evening.

According to sources, the boat carrying around 40 tourists overturned during a joyride around 7.30 pm.

Around 20 people have been rescued while the bodies of 15 people were recovered. Sources said six of the victims are children. Police, fire and rescue forces and fishermen are scouring the river in search of survivors. However, the lack of proper lighting and narrow roads are posing a challenge to the rescue operation.

The rescued have been shifted to Parappanangadi Nahas Hospital, J S Mission Hospital, Thiroorangadi Taluk Hospital and various hospitals at Kottakkal and Tanur. Minister V Abdurahiman has reached the spot and PWD minister P A Mohammed Riyas is on the way to Tanur Thooval Theeram. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has directed Malappuram district collector to coordinate the rescue operation.

Shafeeq, a youngster who had boarded the ill-fated boat told rescue workers that the boat was overcrowded. The boat started swaying as it reached around 300 m away from the shore. Suddenly, the boat overturned and the tourists were caught underneath. It is said there were not enough life jackets for the passengers. The rescue operation was delayed as it took time for the people at the shore to rush to the spot.

Fishermen said the river was deep at the accident spot and rescuing the people who were caught underneath the boat was a tough task. The boat which sunk in the river has been caught in the marsh and efforts are on to tow it to the shore.

Rescue workers said there are doubts that some tourists are caught in the sunken boat.