Mumbai boat accident: Life jackets now mandatory for ferry rides from Gateway of India | Read
A day after a collision between a ferry and a Navy vessel that claimed 13 lives near the Mumbai coast, authorities have made it mandatory for passengers to wear life jackets during boat rides from the Gateway of India.
While this safety measure was welcomed by some, others emphasised the need for proper guidance on using life jackets in emergencies.
Some tourists, however, said the life jackets would be of help only if people knew how to use them. The authorities should instruct people how to use the life jackets in case of an emergency, they said. Some survivors of the tragedy on Wednesday claimed the ferry did not have enough life jackets.
Thirteen persons, including a Navy personnel and two contractual naval employees, were killed and nearly 100 were rescued after the Navy craft carrying out engine trials dashed against the passenger ferry ‘Neel Kamal’ on Wednesday afternoon. The ferry was carrying more than 100 passengers from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island.
Boat owners from Bhaucha Dhakka (a wharf near the Dockyard Road here) said they insist that people wear life jackets, but passengers are reluctant many times though they could prove life-saving in case of an emergency.
Ferry boats operate from Bhaucha Dhakka to trans-harbour locations like Uran and Revas in the neighbouring Raigad district. Boat owner Sameer Bamane said some passengers are reluctant to wear life jackets, citing the reason that they feel uncomfortable due to excessive heat and sweat during humid conditions.
Comments are closed.