TANUR: Five people had a miraculous escape from the Tanur boat accident, which claimed 22 lives and injured 10. Enquiries revealed that these five were members of the Taluk Disaster Response Force (TDRF).
These well-trained swimmers and experts in rescue operations were on vacation when they decided to take an evening ride in the boat through the Poorapuzha river.
However, shortly after they embarked on the journey, tragedy struck. Even though these five were well-versed in rescue operations, they found themselves gripped by shock in the first few minutes of the accident. Recalling the tragic incident, Abdul Harris, one of the five, said, “We tried to get ourselves safe before checking on others as we were in shock when the boat started to sink. Most of the passengers in the boat were children, less than ten-years-old.” “We saved at least five children from the spot. In the effort, Shafeek Babu, a fellow member, was injured,” he said.
The other three are Salam, Sawad, and Mudhasheer. “Though we did the best we could, the scene was indeed very heart-rending. The memory will haunt us,” Harris added. Later, 21 more members of the TDRF rushed to the spot to aid rescue efforts.