Mumbai: “I was recording the video of a speedboat presuming it was doing stunts when it suddenly hit our ferry. To my utter disbelief and shock, on impact, one of the speedboat’s passengers was flung into the air and crashed on the deck of our ferry just beside me. His motionless body was badly mutilated,” said Gautam Gupta (25), who recorded the viral video of the speedboat moments right before the collision, and survived the capsizing incident.
Gupta is currently receiving treatment at St George’s Hospital alongside his cousin Rinta Gupta (30) while his aunt is still missing. He was on his way to Elephanta Caves with his aunt and her daughter who were visiting from their native place in north India on Wednesday when tragedy struck. Gupta and his cousin are among the nine survivors being treated at St George’s Hospital—all stable with minor injuries and trauma. Each of the survivors had worn a life jacket.
The survivors noted the absence of proper emergency protocols, stating that the ferry staff provided no guidance nor made any announcements after the collision, and the passengers hurriedly on their own began to get hold of life jackets for their safety, unsure about their next course of action.
Many of the passengers were from modest economic backgrounds.
Ram Milan Singh (41), visiting from Bengaluru with two of his colleagues and accompanied by his Mumbai-based brother-in-law for an Elephanta Caves excursion, too recounted how terrified passengers quickly grabbed life jackets and jumped into the water before their vessel submerged.
Singh, who was positioned on the lower deck during the incident, said he and his brother-in-law were rescued but he has no information about his two colleagues, whom he last saw floating wearing life jackets in the sea.
Singh said, “It was a chaotic moment as water rushed through the vessel’s front, forcing passengers to rush towards the upper deck before the boat began to tilt. The vessel’s tilting and the crowded upper section caused many to lose their footing. I don’t know what came into my mind. Just as the boat began to tilt, I decided to jump into the water, presuming that it was the only way to save myself, as did many others. We were in the sea for around half an hour when finally help arrived.”
Singh said initially the speedboat was at a distance, appearing to perform manoeuvres while passengers recorded its videos. The vessel then turned towards their boat, seemingly attempting a close pass when the impact occurred.
Another passenger, Natharam Chaudhary (24) from Kural, travelling with a companion, said he managed to stay afloat and swim some distance before being rescued by another vessel. Chaudhary too said many on their ferry were busy recording the video of the speedboat without knowing what would follow next.
Mumbai: “I was recording the video of a speedboat presuming it was doing stunts when it suddenly hit our ferry. To my utter disbelief and shock, on impact, one of the speedboat’s passengers was flung into the air and crashed on the deck of our ferry just beside me. His motionless body was badly mutilated,” said Gautam Gupta (25), who recorded the viral video of the speedboat moments right before the collision, and survived the capsizing incident.
Gupta is currently receiving treatment at St George’s Hospital alongside his cousin Rinta Gupta (30) while his aunt is still missing. He was on his way to Elephanta Caves with his aunt and her daughter who were visiting from their native place in north India on Wednesday when tragedy struck. Gupta and his cousin are among the nine survivors being treated at St George’s Hospital—all stable with minor injuries and trauma. Each of the survivors had worn a life jacket.
The survivors noted the absence of proper emergency protocols, stating that the ferry staff provided no guidance nor made any announcements after the collision, and the passengers hurriedly on their own began to get hold of life jackets for their safety, unsure about their next course of action.
Many of the passengers were from modest economic backgrounds.
Ram Milan Singh (41), visiting from Bengaluru with two of his colleagues and accompanied by his Mumbai-based brother-in-law for an Elephanta Caves excursion, too recounted how terrified passengers quickly grabbed life jackets and jumped into the water before their vessel submerged.
Singh, who was positioned on the lower deck during the incident, said he and his brother-in-law were rescued but he has no information about his two colleagues, whom he last saw floating wearing life jackets in the sea.
Singh said, “It was a chaotic moment as water rushed through the vessel’s front, forcing passengers to rush towards the upper deck before the boat began to tilt. The vessel’s tilting and the crowded upper section caused many to lose their footing. I don’t know what came into my mind. Just as the boat began to tilt, I decided to jump into the water, presuming that it was the only way to save myself, as did many others. We were in the sea for around half an hour when finally help arrived.”
Singh said initially the speedboat was at a distance, appearing to perform manoeuvres while passengers recorded its videos. The vessel then turned towards their boat, seemingly attempting a close pass when the impact occurred.
Another passenger, Natharam Chaudhary (24) from Kural, travelling with a companion, said he managed to stay afloat and swim some distance before being rescued by another vessel. Chaudhary too said many on their ferry were busy recording the video of the speedboat without knowing what would follow next.
