People were screaming for help and crying, a Mumbai Port Trust (MBPT) pilot boat said, at the site where a ferry and a Navy craft crashed off the city’s coast.
Thirteen people died and 99 were rescued as an Indian Navy undergoing engine trials lost control and collided with a passenger ferry that was carrying passengers from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island.
Among the first ones to reach the accident site, pilots of some boats said this was the most horrific event they had seen in their lives. Among them was Arif Bamane, who told PTI that rescuers prioritised women and children.
A control room call instructed nearby boats, prompting Bamane to steer his boat with four people on board towards the accident site. Around 20-25 people, of whom there were three to four foreigners, were rescued and transferred to naval boats. Among the sights he experienced during rescue operations was a small girl lying motionless as water had entered her lungs. She was given chest compressions after which her breathing became normal, Bamane told PTI.
Iqbal Gothekar saw people frantically waving their hands for help. His small tourist boat reached the accident site and rescued 16 people, bringing them to Gateway of India. “In my career, I have never witnessed such an incident,” Gothekar recounted the event to PTI.
