PURI: A family from West Bengal had a providential escape from drowning after their speed boat overturned and sank in the Bay of Bengal on Thursday.
Biswabandhu Mukherjee and his family had hired a speed boat of Kamaldeb company which was launched in sea in front of Puri Hotel on the day. In the afternoon, Biswabandhu along with his five-member family including women and a child boarded the boat.
After going a few hundred metres, the boat overturned. Life guards and fire service personnel present on the beach rescued the family safely to the shore.
Sources said the boat had no life saving equipment. Besides, in violation of norm, a child was allowed on board the speed boat.
Locals alleged that old and unsafe boats were being brought by businessmen to Puri, who surprisingly are getting permission from the authorities to operate these in the sea. Police said investigation into the incident is on.