India : A double-decker boat carrying more than 40 passengers capsized off a beach in India’s Kerala state on Sunday night, killing at least 22 people.
The incident took place at around 7pm near Thooval Theeram beach in the Tanur area of Malappuram.
The boat was carrying more than 40 people, more than double its capacity, police said.
The dead included schoolchildren on holiday. Media reports said passengers were not wearing life jackets.
The owner could not be found by police, who filed a manslaughter case against him.
“The boat capsized due to the [weight] of people. It was overburdened, although we don’t know the exact number of the people on the boat yet. That will be investigated,” Vimal C, a police officer at Malappuram police station.
“For now, the rescue is under way. We have deployed navy, National Disaster Response Force and coastguard teams for the rescue and search of those missing.”
At least 10 people were being treated at government-run hospitals, while five survived after they swam to safety as the boat capsized.
“We don’t have much hope to find more bodies but the search operation is on until we are sure,” Mr Benny said.
Of the 22, 11 belonged to the same family. They were four men, three women and four children, including a 10-month-old baby.
The state government has announced a judicial probe into the incident and announced a compensation of one million rupees ($12,200) to the families of the deceased.
State Health Minister Veena George said post mortem examinations were under way.
Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who will visit the area on Monday, tweeted his condolences to the victims’ families and urged the district’s authorities to oversee the rescue.
