Death toll in boattragedy rises to 10

“The victims must have been trapped in a fishing net”

Taking stock: Inspector General of Police (South Zone) S. Murugan inspecting Manapad coast on Monday.

The death toll in boat capsize tragedy off Manapad rose to 10 after the body of 12-year old girl A. Abinaya of Alagammanpuram was recovered on Monday.

The search operations continued with the aid of an Indian Coast Guard ship and air search. The incident, which occurred around 6.15 p.m. on Sunday, left nine persons dead and 11 others injured. Inspector General of Police (South Zone) S. Murugan met the victims in Tiruchendur Government Hospital.

C. Sylendra Babu, Additional Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu Coastal Security Group (CSG), told

The Hindu that the victims were trapped in a fishing net that could have pulled them down into the sea. The victims were from Madurai, Tiruchi and surrounding areas. After attending a temple festival at Alagammanpuram near Padukapathu, 42 persons from two families boarded the ill-fated boat manned by B. Selvam (43) of Manapad, one of the 22 persons who escaped unhurt.

A sudden swell capsized the boat 200 meters off the coast. While overloading caused the accident, fishermen’s presence at Manapad shore helped in rescuing some people, he said.

Sundararaj, a resident of Keezhavasal, Madurai, and husband of Murugeshwari (35), a deceased victim, said they took the trip since their children wanted to go on a boat ride.

Anand (32), brother of Usha Rani (42), another deceased victim from Alagammanpuram, who died with her son Sundareswaran (7) and Abinaya, said the deaths had left their family in grief.

Local sources said the boatman charged ₹20 per head and ahead of this tragic incident, another group was ferried by the boat.

Wildlife Warden Deepak Bilgi of Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park said there would be giant waves and high tide on full moon day.

S. Balaji, a retired Forest Officer, said, “Manapad shore is not dangerous, but ferrying too many in a small fibre boat designed for carrying four persons and half-a-tonne fish is.”

F. Sahaya Jose, Inspector of CSG, Kanniyakumari, said based on a complaint lodged by G. Sakthikumar (28) of Padukapathu village, Kudankulam marine police had registered a case.

Among those injured, three victims were under treatment in private hospitals in Tiruchendur. However, they were out of danger, he said.

Compensation

Minister for Information and Publicity Kadambur C. Raju gave a solatium of ₹2 lakh each to families of the deceased victims and ₹50,000 each to injured victims.