An FIR has been registered against the driver of a Navy speedboat that lost control and collided with a passenger ferry near Mumbai’s Gateway of India. The case was filed based on a complaint by Natharam Chaudhary, a 22-year-old survivor from Mumbai’s Sakinaka area.
The accident occurred around 3:55 PM on Wednesday when a passenger vessel, Neelkamal, capsized after a collision with a Navy speedboat, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed.
He stated that rescue operations are ongoing. The tragedy claimed at least 13 lives, including two children. Among the deceased were an Indian Navy official and two employees from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).
According to officials, 115 people have been rescued so far. A survivor, Gautam Gupta from Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, who lost his aunt in the incident while traveling with her and his cousin to Elephanta Island, recounted the lack of safety measures on board.
“No one on the boat had life jackets,” Gupta said. “After the collision, we pulled several people out of the water and onto the boat. About 20 to 25 minutes later, the Navy rescued us, but by then, we had lost my aunt.”
A survivor alleged that the Navy speedboat was performing stunts, which raised their suspicions.
“The Navy’s speedboat was performing stunts. This made us suspicious, so I started recording. Moments later, the boat collided with our ferry,” said Shravan Kumar, who captured the incident on video.
Arif Bamane, a driver of the Mumbai Port Trust (MBPT) pilot boat Poorva, described the scene as tragic and chaotic when they arrived. “People were screaming and crying for help,” he told PTI.
Bamane said their priority was to rescue women and children. He recalled finding a young girl lying motionless, with water in her lungs. Rescuers, including the driver, performed chest compressions to help her breathe again. “Her breathing slowly returned to normal,” he added.
According to an Indian Navy statement, the speedboat involved in the collision was a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) undergoing engine trials and lost control due to an engine malfunction.
The FIR has been filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including those pertaining to causing death by negligence, endangering personal safety or life, rash or negligent navigation of a vessel, and acts of mischief resulting in wrongful loss or damage to individuals or the public.
