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Thirteen dead when a naval vessel strikes a passenger boat near Mumbai

Officials said that at least 13 people were killed when an Indian navy boat collided on Wednesday with a passenger ship carrying more than 100 passengers, which capsized. The accident occurred off the coast of Mumbai's financial capital.

The navy reported that 99 people had been rescued, and efforts are ongoing to rescue others.

A malfunctioning engine caused an Indian Navy vessel to lose control in Mumbai Harbour while conducting engine tests. The boat then collided into a passenger ship, which capsized as a result.

Local TV stations showed that a boat with at least five passengers hit the passenger car, causing an accident.

The speedboat crashed into the boat, and water began to enter our boat. It overturned. A passenger aboard the vessel said that "the driver asked us to put on life jackets".

The passenger who refused to identify himself said, "I swam 15 minutes before another boat rescued me."

The boat accident in Mumbai is tragic. "Condorations to the bereaved family," India's PM Narendra Modi wrote in a late Wednesday post on X.

Modi announced that he would also pay 200,000 rupees (2,356.63) as an ex-gratia to the next of kin for each of the deceased victims of the boating accident. The injured will receive 50,000 rupees.

BMC reported that the privately owned passenger boat called Neelkamal was headed towards the Elephanta Caves, an important tourist destination just off the coast of Mumbai when it capsized.

The caves are a UNESCO world heritage site, and were built in the 5th-6th century A.D.

Regular trips are made by boats from the southernmost point of Mumbai, the Gateway of India to ferry tourists an hour away to the site.

(source: Reuters)