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Kerala Boat Tragedy Claims 22 Lives Including 7 Children, Rescue Operation Underway

© AFP 2023In this photograph taken on May 7, 2023, people carry out rescue operation at the site of a boat accident in Tanur, in Malappuram district of India's Kerala state.
In this photograph taken on May 7, 2023, people carry out rescue operation at the site of a boat accident in Tanur, in Malappuram district of India's Kerala state. - Sputnik India, 1920, 08.05.2023
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Since Sunday night, India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Coast Guard personnel have been engaged in a rescue operation to track down those still missing.
At least 22 were killed, including seven children, in India's southern state of Kerala after a boat capsized near a beach on Sunday evening, Indian media reported.
President Murmum and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have offered their condolences to the friends and relatives of the dead.
At least 10 people have been admitted to nearby private and government hospitals, police said.
Though officials have yet to confirm the exact number of passengers who were on the boat, unofficial reports suggest there were 40 people with tickets but many others were travelling illegally.
The incident, which occurred in the Tanur area of the Malappuram district, has prompted police to register a case against the boat's owner for culpable homicide.
Local media reports suggest that the owner lacked a safety certificate, and failed to provide life vests to passengers.
Area Lawmaker P. K. Kunhalikutty said that in general the boats are not allowed to enter the waters after 6 PM, But the operator had violated the rule.
Meanwhile, Kerala's Minister for Fisheries and Harbor Development V. Abdurahiman told reporters the death toll was likely to rise as the boat was stuck in muddy waters and it's being pulled out to rescue those trapped inside.
Kerala State Chief Pinarayi Vijayan is likely to visit the site of the accident today.
Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman said that the cause of the accident has yet to be ascertained.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi expressed his grief regarding the tragic incident, saying he was "pained by the loss of lives due to the boat mishap."
He announced an ex gratia INR 200,000 ($2,446) for the kin of the deceased.
Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu said in a message that she was "deeply saddened by the tragic boat accident in Kerala," adding "I offer my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured."
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