Fire officials said that as search and rescue efforts entered their second day, at least 22 persons, including women and children, had died after a boat capsized in the southern Indian state of Kerala on Sunday.
Around 7:30 p.m. local time, the boat carrying tourists sank close to Malappuram’s Tuvalthiram beach, the local fire service informed CNN. Officials don’t know exactly how many passengers were on board, but they guess there were about 35, it continued.
Five persons swam ashore while 10 were taken to the hospital, according to V.R. Premkumar, a senior official from the Malappuram district, where the event occurred, who was speaking to reporters on Monday.
The Indian Navy has joined search and rescue operations, regional officials said Monday.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased, announcing compensation from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
“Pained by the loss of lives due to the boat mishap in Malappuram, Kerala,” a tweet from Modi’s office said Sunday. “Condolences to the bereaved families. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh ($2,446 USD) from PMNRF would be provided to the next of kin of each deceased.”
Kerala’s chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan is expected to visit the accident site on Monday.
On Sunday, Vijayan tweeted his condolences, saying he was “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives.”
At the time of the disaster India was celebrating a long weekend with Buddha Purnima (Buddha’s birthday) falling on May 5 this year.
Kerala, known for its lush forests, beaches and backwaters, is a popular tourist destination for many Indians and foreigners alike.
One of the state’s top attractions are its traditional wooden houseboats which ply the brackish lagoons and canals that crisscross much of the tropical coastline.