Five persons, including two children and a woman, died when a fishing boat used for inter-island passenger transit sank near Kadamat Island in Lakshadweep on Saturday. There were 30 passengers in the boat. Rescued persons were given first aid at the Kadamat Primary Health Centre.
‘’The condition of the survivors is stable,’’ Lakshadweep Administration authorities told ‘Express’.
The deceased are Moosa P, Mohammed Koya, Sainabi K P, Ansiya A P and Rubeena A P. Ansiya and Rubeena are the daughters of M C Kidavu and Aishumma A P of Kadamat Island. All others are residents of Amini Island.
The ill-fated boat - Al-Ameen - met with the accident on its way from Amini to Kadamat.
‘’The sea was calm in the morning. Amini-Kadamat journey takes around one hour. The boat left Amini Island at 7.15 am and was to reach Kadamat by 8.15 am. As the boat approached the entrance to Kadamat Island, the sea turned rough and sudden huge waves overturned the boat,’’ said Kunjikoya, sub-divisional officer of Amini Island.
He said the fishing boat conducted services from Amini to Kadamat, despite the possibility of sea turning rough . ‘’We have got information that boat operators were forced to conduct a service as demanded by the passengers. The rescue operations were carried out by the Lakshadweep Police.”