Boat capsizes in India, at least 21 dead.
At least 21 people have drowned after a boat capsized off the coast of Tanur in Malappuram district, Kerala state, southern India.
According to a spokesperson for the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, the incident occurred at approximately 7 PM on May 7th. Indian authorities have dispatched a team from the National Disaster Response Force to the scene.
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| Rescue workers are working to recover the bodies of deceased victims and search for survivors after a boat capsized in Malappuram, Kerala, southern India, on the evening of May 7. Photo: PTI |
Reuters quoted Abdul Nazar, police chief of Malappuram district, as saying that the boat was carrying about 40 passengers when it capsized. The accident is believed to have been caused by overloading.
The local police office acknowledged that the exact number of fatalities is currently unknown. Approximately 10 passengers are being treated in hospitals, and some have been discharged after receiving first aid.
V Abdurahiman, a Kerala state official in charge of port and fisheries development, told reporters that the death toll could rise as the boat became stuck in muddy waters. Rescue teams are working to pull the boat out of the mud to rescue the victims trapped inside.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered his condolences to the injured and the families of those who died in the incident.