Coast Guard calls off Dahanu search operation

Mumbai: A day after a ferry capsized in the Dahanu creek in  Palghar district, the Coast Guard had resumed the search operations in the morning on Sunday. However, the rescue operations were called off after confirmation that 32 of the 35 students on the boat were rescued and three had drowned.

The police had on Saturday said that three girls had drowned and five were feared missing after the private boat, Dahanu Queen, had capsized off the Dahanu coast. The boat was carrying students of the K.L. Ponda School and Junior College in Parnaka in Dahanu.

An official on Saturday had said that out of 40 students, 35 were accounted and they had started the search operations for the five missing students. They had said there is a possibility that three students had drowned. Immediately after the rescue operations, all the students were sent to local hospitals for further treatment. On Sunday morning, the Coast Guard (CG) confirmed that the search operations were called off after the school authorities and district administrations confirmed the exact number of students on the boat.

The CG station at Dahanu reportedly coordinated with the local authorities and school staff before confirming the number of students on board. According to a commandant, the focus of the CG is to trace the missing crew members of the Pawan Hans helicopter who had crashed off the Mumbai coast on Saturday. Three persons, including the owner of the boat, were arrested by the Palghar police late evening on Saturday.

Operating illegally

Vikram Kumar, the chief executive officer  (CEO) of  the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) said that the ferry service at Dahanu was completely illegal.  He added, “No permission was granted to any such ferry services by our department.  Efforts have now been intensified to prevent any such mishap.”