The 19-year-old dreamt of competing abroad, and said she wanted to be like Ronaldo and Messi
world3 days ago
Negligence and blatant flouting of norms — including unscientific structural changes — are among the reasons that might have been behind a deadly boat accident in the southern Indian state of Kerala over the weekend, according to Indian media reports.
More than 20 people drowned after a “heavily overloaded” double-decker boat on an excursion capsized at Parappanangadi in Kerala's Malappuram on Sunday evening, the Times of India reported.
It said the boat was in the water past the official deadline of 5pm; the accident took place after 7pm.
"The boat that sank in the Poorapuzha estuary in Tanur municipality on Sunday evening, killing 22 people, 15 of them children, was packed with local tourists to twice its capacity and was not cleared for post-dusk operations," an editorial in The Hindu said.
It remains unclear how a fishing boat fitted with an upper deck received clearance, if at all it did, to conduct inland tourist operations, the editorial added.
The Kerala government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has also ordered a special probe.
"It was just a month ago that international disaster management expert Muralee Thummarukudy issued a prescient warning, which sounds eerie in hindsight, of an imminent houseboat tragedy in Kerala with at least 10 casualties.
"The cautionary note flagged the absence of crew training, sparse availability and use of safety material such as life vests, lack of on-board briefing of guests and erratic renewal of operational licence and enforcement thereon," The Hindu editorial said.
Indian media reports have pointed out that operators of the boat called "Atlantic" continued to invite people to the ferry for "last trip of the day", even though it was overcrowded. The boat had some 40 people on board when it capsized.
"The boat was originally a fibre fishing vessel that was modified unscientifically" to be operated as a tourist boat, sensing a business opportunity, according to documents accessed by Manorama.
It said the boat changed a few hands before it was bought for Rs 20,000 by the current owner, Nasser, who has been arrested.
He had sought permission from the Kerala Maritime Board to operate the service with 21 passengers, but was not granted final approval, according to report on mathrubhumi.com.
READ MORE:
The 19-year-old dreamt of competing abroad, and said she wanted to be like Ronaldo and Messi
world3 days ago
Hochstein's mission marks a last-ditch attempt by the outgoing US administration to clinch a ceasefire as diplomacy to end the Gaza war appears totally adrift
world3 days ago
This will be his first visit since the beginning of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia around three years ago
world3 days ago
The changes state that any conventional attack on Russia, aided by a nuclear power, could be considered to be a joint attack
world4 days ago
The country launched a probe in March 2021 into WhatsApp's privacy policy, which allowed data sharing with Facebook and its units, sparking global backlash
world4 days ago
This time around, Trump wants the Senate to give up that gatekeeping role and allow him to make 'recess appointments'
world4 days ago
Police allege the offences took place between 2001 and 2019 against 8 victims; the youngest was 17 at the time of the offence
world5 days ago
The two countries have a mutual defence treaty dating back to 1951, which could be invoked if either side came under attack, including in the South China Sea
world5 days ago