Elephanta boat tragedy: Tourists missed the boarding ill-fated boat, then saw it going down right in front of their eyes

Mehrunnissa (in white) along with her family had a narrow escape. Pic/Shadab Khan

A routine ferry ride to Elephanta Island turned into a nightmare for passengers aboard the Neelkamal when the ferry collided with a speedboat and sank, leaving many fighting for their lives in the waters off Mumbai's coast, at least 13 have been reported dead till press time. Witnessing the tragedy unfold from a nearby boat, tourists who had narrowly missed boarding Neelkamal were shaken by the sight of the ferry going under.

"We saw the ferry sinking right in front of our eyes and felt so bad for those on board. We were going to board Neelkamal but decided not to as it was full. It was a horrendous incident," said Mehrunnissa, 60, a tourist.

Mehrunnissa added, "We had decided to go to Elephanta. We were on another boat as Neelkamal was full. Suddenly, the boat authorities announced that a ferry had collided with a speedboat, and we looked out and saw it sinking right in front of us."

Mehrunnissa said that after Neelkamal sank, the authorities on her boat instructed everyone to wear life jackets and wait for the rescue operation to begin. "Immediately after the incident, we wore life jackets and waited for the rescue. We saw people drowning and swimming to save their lives and felt helpless. The Navy, Coast Guard, and other authorities responded promptly. Local fishermen also joined in and rescued some people. I am grateful that my family didn't board Neelkamal. This tragic incident will stay on my mind forever and haunt me," Mehrunnissa added.

Honeymoon couple saved

"My cousin, Anas Ishtiyag, 30, and his wife Riha, 20, are honeymooners from Mangalore and were on Neelkamal. Both told me they had worn life jackets when the incident took place. Anas said the ferry broke into two. Water started accumulating in the ferry, and everyone was terrified, but both were rescued by the authorities and taken to JNPT on a bus for further treatment. The couple is now in stable condition," said Rafiq Shirva, 49, a relative of the couple.