THEKKADY / KOCHI: A thick veil of grief descended on the famed tourist spot of Thekkady on Wednesday when Kerala witnessed its worst ever boat tragedy in the Mullaperiyar waters as the KTDC’s Jalakanyaka, carrying about 76 passengers, sank. Thirty five bodies have been fished out of the water. Any hope of finding more tourists alive faded with the daylight even as rescue personnel continued their desperate search.
The two-deck boat, commissioned just a month back, was returning to the boat landing after an hour-long sight-seeing trip when tragedy struck. All the passengers on the upper deck apparently rushed to one side of the boat to take photos of a lone bison spotted on the shore. At the same time many from the lower deck flocked to the top leaving the lower almost empty. This movement and the uneven distribution of weight caused the boat to overbalance and turn turtle.
Those remaining on the lower deck were trapped inside while about 20 on the upper deck were rescued by other boats in the convoy. Other help reached the spot only about 45 minutes later, after the news reached the boat landing centre some 4 km from the accident site at Manakkavala (very near the Lake Palace Hotel).
Though the first batch of rescuers tried to save those who were rescued by tribal fishermen, they could do little as most were in very serious condition.
Persons who had any sign of life were immediately rushed to Kumily. But at least 10 of them succumbed at the Periyar hospital.
The rescue operations led by forest officials and locals were badly hit by lack of communication.
As darkness set in the rescue became more difficult without electricity.
It was a heartrending scene with bodies floating on the water even as rescue personnel searched for people trapped under the boat.
A film crew shooting in nearby Cumbum rushed its light crew to the spot to aid the rescue efforts. The Navy also rushed a helicopter and a team of 40 divers from Kochi.
According to sources, the majority of the victims were from Karnataka. There was a group of 10 tourists from Delhi of whom only two survived. Two foreigners, whose nationality is being ascertained, also died.
“We warn tourists not to make any sudden moves on the upper deck. But no one listens.
Even a slight chance of an animal sighting sets off a rush which threatens the balance of the boat,” said Sudheer, a tour guide.
There were tourists on board from Karnataka and North India and some foreigners. The majority of the deceased are women and children.
Though some tourists escaped with the help of life jackets, the less fortunate outnumbered them. The arrival of the first rescue boat was greeted with shrill cries from onlookers as bodies were being carried to the shore.
T h e bodies were taken to Periyar Hospital at Kumily, St Augustine’s Hospital at Spring Valley and the Kumily Primary Health Centre, Thekkady. Some of those rescued were sent to Kottayam Medical College. The Periyar Hospital was filled with bodies by around 7.15 pm.
This is the second tragedy in the Mullaperiyar waters after a four-decade old incident which saw a small boat turning over after hitting a stump. Lifesaving equipment on board most boats is not in proportion to the number of passengers. In fact, the case is no different in many of the tourist spots in the State where hydel tourism is being showcased as a crowd puller.
The Karanataka police chief has asked Assistant Inspector General of Police (Crime) Harashekharan to visit Thekkady as some of those on the boat were from Karnataka.
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