KOCHI: Six persons were killed when a boat carrying around 30 passengers capsized and sank in the harbour mouth off Fort Kochi after colliding with a fishing craft Wednesday, police said.
Around 20 passengers have been rescued so far by personnel of Coast Guard, Navy and Marine police with the assistance of local fishermen, they said.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, coordinating the rescue operations, told reporters that six passengers have lost their lives in the accident.
The bodies of Azheekode native Sainaba, Fort Kochi natives Joseph and Volga, Mattanchery native Sudheer, Kalamukku native Ayyappan and Chellanam native Sindhu have been identified.
Intense rescue operations are underway and the exact number of passengers on board the ill-fated passenger boat was yet to be ascertained, police said.
The passenger vessel was on its way from Vypeen to Fort Kochi when it collided with the country fishing boat at the harbour mouth at around 1.45 pm.
The rescued passengers have been taken to various hospitals, police said.
According to a witness, the fishing boat was reversing when it hit the passenger boat.
"The accident took place about 100 metres from the Fort Kochi boat jetty, which is the international shipping route. Hence, even if someone is a swimmer, it's difficult to survive," said Samson, the witness.
"The place is frequently dredged and hence the place where the accident took place is very deep," Samson added.
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