(Eds: Updating with arrest of three)Mumbai, Jan 13 (PTI) Three girls drowned and five weremissing after a private boat with 40 students, who were on aschool picnic, capsized this morning off the coast of Dahanuin Palghar district of Maharashtra.
Three persons, including the owner of the boat, werearrested by Palghar police late this evening.
The police said 32 students had been rescued and a searchfor the missing ones was continuing, with Coast Guardpersonnel and local fishermen out at sea.
The bodies of the three girls -- Sonal Bhagwan Surati,Janhavi Harish Surati and Sanskruti Mayavanshi -- all aged 17,were recovered, Superintendent of Police, Palghar, ManjunathSinge told PTI.
All three were residents of Masauli in Dahanu's AmbedkarNagar area.
The private boat 'Dahanu Queen' was carrying 40 studentsof the Ponda School and Junior College in Parnaka in Dahanuand capsized around 11.30 am, Singe said.
"The Coast Guard has deployed its ships and aircraft inthe rescue operation and personnel from several departmentslike the coastal police are involved in the searchoperations," the SP said.
The accident spot is around 20 miles off the Dahanucoast, a spokesperson of the Coast Guard said. Dahanu islocated around 130 km from Mumbai.
Among the rescued, three students and the boat driverwere admitted to a hospital, police said.
The tragedy struck when some students apparently crowdedon one side of the boat to click selfies, resulting in thevessel tilting on one side and capsizing, BJP MLA ManishaChowdhary, who hails from Dahanu, told PTI.
Local fishermen, who saw the mishap, and some residentsof Dahanu joined in the rescue efforts.
Singe said the owner of the boat Dhiraj Ambire, boatmanParth Ambire and helper Mahendra Ambire were arrested latethis evening.
"The trio was booked under IPC sections 304 A (culpablehomicide not amounting to murder), 280 (rash navigation ofvessel), 282 (conveying person by water for hire in unsafe oroverloaded vessel), 34 (common intention). The case wasregistered at Dahanu police station," Singe said.
"The accused did not take safety measures and took excesspeople on the boat," he added.
President Ram Nath Kovind, who arrived in Mumbai today ona two-day visit to Maharashtra, offered his condolences to thefamilies of those killed in the tragedy.
"Anguished to hear of boat carrying school childrencapsizing in Dahanu, Maharashtra. State government has rescuedmost of the passengers and is making efforts to trace thosestill missing. My condolences to bereaved families," hetweeted.
The Coast Guard gave details about its rescue operationin a release here.
"On receiving the information, the Coast Guard Station atDahanu immediately initiated search and rescue efforts whilstco-ordinating with local authorities. A Coast Guard boat basedat Dahanu and a helicopter from Daman were releasedimmediately for the rescue efforts," it said.
"A total of 32 precious lives were saved in the incidentand they are being provided medical attention by localauthorities," the release said.
However, there have been three casualties in theincident, it said.
"Search efforts are still continuing at the location incoordination with local authorities," the release added.
PTI DC COR NRB VT BNM RSY NPSRY.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.