Mumbai boat tragedy: Search on for 7-year-old boy missing after ferry-Navy craft crash, death toll reaches 14

A search operation involving naval boats continued on Friday to locate a seven-year-old boy who went missing after a Navy craft collided with a ferry off the Mumbai coast two days ago, an official said.

The death toll from the December 18 tragedy rose to 14 after the body of a 43-year-old man was recovered on Thursday evening.

The Navy has initiated a probe into the collision, one of the deadliest accidents in the city's harbor area.

As part of the Search and Rescue (SAR) operation, a naval helicopter and boats from the Navy and Coast Guard have been deployed to locate the missing passengers, the official added.

Out of the 113 people aboard the two vessels, 14 lost their lives, while 98 others, including two injured, were rescued.

Among the six crew members aboard the Navy craft, only two survived, the official noted.

The tragedy occurred when a speeding Navy craft, undergoing engine trials, lost control and collided with the passenger ferry Neel Kamal near the Mumbai coast. The ferry, carrying over 100 passengers, was en route from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island, a popular tourist destination known for its ancient caves.

As per documents issued by the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), the ferry was authorized to carry 84 passengers and 6 crew members. However, it was overloaded at the time of the incident, a police official confirmed.

A case has been registered against the Navy craft driver at the Colaba police station. The FIR cites sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including provisions for causing death by negligence, endangering personal safety or life, rash or negligent navigation of a vessel, and acts of mischief causing wrongful loss or damage to individuals or the public.

The damaged Navy craft is currently in the Navy's custody, and the police will request access to it as needed for their investigation, the official added.

Meanwhile, the mangled passenger ferry has been moved to Bhaucha Dhakka, a wharf near Dockyard Road in south Mumbai, according to another official.