Kerala boat tragedy toll 8, syrang arrested
The ferry that broke into two and sank in the accident was 40 years’ old, it is learnt
Kochi: The toll in the boat accident at Kamalakadavu jetty, Fort Kochi, increased to eight with the recovery of two more bodies on Thursday.
The naval and other rescue workers conducted search for two more missing persons till late evening on Thursday, but in vain.
The body of Sujeesha, a first-year BCom student of Maharaja’s College, was spotted close to Chellanam harbour.
The body of K.T. Vijayan was washed ashore near embarkation jetty (Willingdon Island). Sujeesha’s mother Sindhu had died in the accident when fishing vessel Besilel collided with M. B Bharath at 1.40 p.m. on Wednesday.
According to Fort Kochi police, two more man-missing cases have been registered and the rescuers were searching for Fousia of Kumbalangi and Shilton Sebastian of Fort Kochi.
The Kochi city police and Port Trust deputy conservator are also conducting an investigation into the incident.
The ferry that broke into two and sank in the accident was 40 years’ old, it is learnt. It was commissioned in 1975. Police sources said that the owners of the boat, Cochin Service, had renovated the body from time to time. The boat has a licence till 2017.
Police claimed that the boat, which was in service for the past 35 years, carried around 40 persons. Nearly 30 persons were rescued and admitted to the taluk hospital in Fort Kochi.
The condition of those undergoing treatment has improved. Seven persons in the Medical Trust Hospital are out of danger, hospital sources said. The syrang of the in-board vessel was arrested on Thursday.