Elephanta ferry capsize: How three CISF heroes rescued 35 in minutes

A screengrab of a video showing CISF personnel lifting people out of the water following the mishap on Wednesday evening

A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) patrol boat, Shera 1, turned into a lifesaver on Wednesday afternoon, intially rescuing 35 passengers from the Neelkamal ferry vessel, which capsized after being hit by an Indian Navy speedboat on Wednesday evening. The ferry vessel, carrying more than 100 passengers en route to the Elephanta Caves from Gateway of India, capsized near Butcher Island. With the help of Shera 1's crew, about 72 passengers were eventually rescued.

Thirteen people, including two children, died in the accident, including an Indian Navy member and two original equipment manufacturers, who were on the craft. According to the Navy, the craft was undergoing engine trials when the operator lost control and collided with the ferry vessel.

Constables Vikas Ghosh (in uniform) and Varun Singh (in white T-shirt) providing CPR to rescued passengers

"Luckily, our patrol boat was in the area. We rushed to rescue passengers and saved 35 initially and a total of at least 72 after other agencies arrived. We had sent an SOS to other agencies to initiate a larger rescue operation," a CISF officer said.

The Defence PRO said in a statement, "At about 3.15 pm, the operator of a Navy craft undergoing engine trials lost control and collided with a passenger ferry off Karanja. The ferry was carrying passengers from Gateway of India to Elephanta Island. Search-and-rescue efforts were immediately launched by the Navy in coordination with the Coast Guard and Marine Police. Four naval helicopters, 11 naval craft, one Coast Guard boat and three Marine Police boats are undertaking rescue efforts."

A Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust vessel at the site of the mishap on Wednesday evening. Pics/Shadab Khan

"The survivors picked up by Navy and civil craft in the area have been transferred to jetties and hospitals in the vicinity. The accident has led to the tragic loss of 13 lives including one naval personnel and two OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] onboard the craft," the statement by the Defence PRO added.

According to sources, the engine of the naval craft was recently changed and the same was undergoing a trial with the new engine, the naval craft had six people on board, including two from the Indian Navy and four from the firm that provided the new engine.

The ML Aisha, a boat which happened to be near the ill-fated Neelkamal ferry vessel at the time of the accident

CM's update

Addressing the media during the winter session of the state legislature in Nagpur, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed that the speedboat was owned and operated by the Indian Navy. He said that while the new engine was being tested, the boat developed a throttle problem, resulting in the operator losing control.

Fadnavis announced financial assistance of R5 lakh for the families of the deceased. He said 101 passengers were rescued by 7.30 pm. He said he would share more information on Thursday morning. According to the CM, the accident will be probed by the state police and the Navy.

Eyewitness account

A video shot by a passenger aboard the Neelkamal, showing the naval craft losing control and crashing directly into the vessel went viral immediately after the incident, triggering a massive rescue operation involving the Indian Navy, Mumbai police, Indian Coast Guard, and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and the CISF. "I was returning from the Elephanta Caves in another boat when I saw people falling into the sea. Nearby boats rushed to rescue them," said an eyewitness, who recorded the incident.

CISF constables who saved the day

Constables Amol Maruti Sawant, Vikas Ghosh and Arun Singh were on patrol just 4 or 5 nautical miles from the accident site as they headed toward Jawahar Deep Island.

Upon receiving an SOS call from the CISF control room, Sawant immediately turned their patrol boat around and rushed to the scene. "We got the call at 3.55 pm and reached the location by 4.05 pm," said Sawant.

Constable Amol Sawant of the CISF

"When we arrived, the entire boat had capsized. There were nine or 10 children. The first person we rescued was a three-year-old. Our priority was to save all the children. One child, unfortunately, lost their life. I am unaware of the exact age," he added.

Despite their patrol boat's capacity to fit 15 passengers, the team took about 30 people onboard. They quickly transferred the rescued individuals to a passing JNPT boat. "Most of the rescued passengers were unconscious, and we administered CPR before transferring them to another boat," Sawant said.

He added, "Passengers were screaming for help, and the children were crying. We did our best to rescue everyone."

According to Sawant after they rescued the passengers, rescue teams from the Navy, Coast Guard, and Mumbai police arrived to provide additional support.

With inputs by Dharmendra Jore