Mohammed Sajib at 06:33, 12 March 2026

2026-03-12T06:33:10Z

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{{Short description|Mid-sea accident off the coast of Mumbai}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}

The '''2024 Mumbai boat accident''' was a mid-sea collision on 18 December 2024, that killed 15 people when an [[Indian Navy|Indian naval]] boat collided with a passenger [[ferry]] which then capsized off the coast of [[Mumbai]], India.<ref name="The Hindu">{{cite news |title=Mumbai boat accident: Naval craft driver lost control during engine trials causing collision with ferry, say police |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/mumbai-boat-accident-naval-craft-driver-lost-control-during-engine-trials-causing-collision-with-ferry-says-police/article69008881.ece |work=The Hindu |date=20 December 2024 |language=en-IN}}</ref><ref name="The Hindu2">{{cite news |title=Mumbai ferry crash: Man and child still missing after ferry-navy craft collision |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/mumbai-boat-accident-man-and-child-still-missing-after-ferry-navy-craft-collision/article69003504.ece |work=The Hindu |date=19 December 2024 |language=en-IN}}</ref><ref name="Indian Express">{{cite news |title=Mumbai Boat Accident Highlights: 13 killed after Navy craft hits ferry boat with 110 on board off Mumbai's Gateway of India |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/mumbai-news-live-updates-maharashtra-cabinet-assembly-winter-session-weather-9728940/ |work=The Indian Express |date=17 December 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

==Collision==
On 18 December 2024, around 04:00 pm (local time), ''Neel Kamal'', a privately owned passenger [[ferry]], was headed towards the [[Elephanta Caves]], a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]] on [[Elephanta Island]], from the [[Gateway of India]] in [[Mumbai]], India.<ref name="Al Jazeera">{{cite news |title=At least 13 dead after naval vessel hits passenger boat off Mumbai |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/18/at-least-13-dead-after-naval-vessel-hits-passenger-boat-off-indias-mumbai |work=Al Jazeera |date=18 December 2024 |language=en}}</ref> An [[Indian Navy]] craft with six persons on board was undergoing engine trials when it lost control and collided with the passenger ferry.<ref name="The Hindu3"/> At least 13 people were killed, including three navy personnel, while two more were missing.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news |title=Thirteen dead after naval speedboat hits ferry off Mumbai |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gpkzggydjo |work=BBC |date=18 December 2024}}</ref>

The ferry was permitted to carry up to 90 people, including six crew members and 84 passengers. However, at the time of the collision, the ferry was overcrowded, carrying over 110 passengers.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mumbai boat accident: Overcrowding on passenger boat and not enough jackets say Mumbai Police sources – CNBC TV18 |url=https://www.cnbctv18.com/india/mumbai-boat-accident-police-probe-safety-lapses-as-survivors-allege-insufficient-life-jackets-on-board-19527358.htm |work=CNBCTV18 |date=20 December 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

On 19 December 2024, the body of a 43-year-old man was found close to the ferry taking the death toll to 14.<ref name="Economic Times">{{cite news |title=Mumbai ferry accident: One more body recovered, toll rises to 14; Navy orders probe |url=https://economictimes.com/news/mumbai-news/mumbai-ferry-accident-one-more-body-recovered-toll-rises-to-14-navy-orders-probe/articleshow/116479360.cms |work=The Economic Times |date=20 December 2024}}</ref>

On 21 December 2024, the body of a missing 7-year-old child was found within [[Mumbai harbour]], increasing the death toll to 15.<ref name="The Hindu3">{{cite news |title=Mumbai boat accident: Body of missing boy found off Mumbai coast; toll rises to 15 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/mumbai-boat-accident-body-of-missing-boy-found-off-mumbai-coast-toll-rises-to-15/article69012138.ece |work=The Hindu |date=21 December 2024 |language=en-IN}}</ref>

==Responses==
By the evening, 101 people were rescued by the [[Indian Navy]], [[Indian Coast Guard]] and police, with eleven naval craft and four helicopters taking part in the [[search and rescue]] mission, according to the [[Chief Minister of Maharashtra]] [[Devendra Fadnavis]].<ref name="CNN">{{cite news |last1=Stockwell |first1=Esha Mitra, Billy |title=At least 13 dead after navy boat and passenger ferry collide near popular Mumbai tourist destination |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/18/asia/elephanta-caves-navy-boat-collision-mumbai-intl-latam/index.html |work=CNN |date=18 December 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

On 19 December 2024, the Indian Navy formed a '[[Board of Inquiry]]' into the collision to establish the facts of the case.<ref name="NDTV">{{cite news |title=Indian Navy Constitutes "Board Of Inquiry" To Probe Mumbai Ferry Accident |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indian-navy-constitutes-board-of-inquiry-to-probe-ferry-accident-7287148 |work=NDTV |date=19 December 2024}}</ref>

The [[Mumbai Police]] also registered a [[first information report]] against the Navy craft driver at [[Colaba]] police station.<ref name="NDTV"/>

Indian Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] announced an [[ex-gratia]] payment of INR 200,000 (USD 2,356.63) from the [[Prime Minister's National Relief Fund]] for the [[next of kin]] of each killed in the boat collision and INR 50,000 for the injured.<ref name="Reuters">{{cite news |title=Mumbai boat accident: Thirteen dead after naval vessel hits passenger ferry |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/india/boat-with-around-56-people-capsizes-off-mumbai-coast-2024-12-18/ |work=Reuters |date=19 December 2024}}</ref>

Following the collision, the [[Maharashtra Maritime Board]] introduced new regulation that requires all ferry passengers in [[Maharashtra]] to wear [[life jacket]]s during their trip.<ref>{{cite news |title=After Mumbai boat accident, life jackets for ferry passengers made mandatory |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/ferry-passengers-life-jacket-compulsory-mumbai-boat-accident-9737585/ |work=The Indian Express |date=21 December 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}{{Disasters in India in 2024}}{{2024 shipwrecks}}

{{Coord|18|55|33|N|72|51|53|E|source:wikidata|display=title}}

[[Category:2024 disasters in India]]
[[Category:2024 in Maharashtra]]
[[Category:December 2024 in India|Mumbai boat accident]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 2024]]
[[Category:Transport disasters in India]]
[[Category:Boating accident deaths]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of India]]
[[Category:Ferry boat disasters]]

2024 Mumbai boat accident - Revision history

Mohammed Sajib at 06:33, 12 March 2026