13 dead as navy boat, passenger ferry collide in Mumbai

INDIA: At least 13 people have died after a crash between a passenger ferry and a navy speedboat threw dozens into the sea near a popular tourist destination in Mumbai, India, according to a local official.

Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister of Maharashtra state, told reporters Wednesday the collision happened as the passenger ferry Neelkamal headed to the Elephanta Caves.

The caves, on an island in the Sea of Oman and a short ferry ride from Mumbai, are one of the city’s most popular tourist destinations, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Video footage from the Indian Coast Guard filmed after the incident shows a large-scale rescue operation with dozens of people, some wearing life jackets, being brought to safety aboard other vessels by emergency services.

By Wednesday evening local time, 101 people had been rescued by the navy, coast guard and police, Fadnavis said, with 11 navy craft and four helicopters part of that mission.

Of the 13 people killed, 10 were civilians and three were navy personnel, he said. Two others remain in critical condition and have been admitted to hospital, he added.