For the previous 48 hours, a staff of fifty personnel aboard 9 Indian Navy and Coast Guard ships has been scouring the waters off the Mumbai coast looking for seven-year-old Zohan Pathan, the final lacking passenger from the ill-fated Neel Kamal ferry. The ferry capsized after it was struck by a Navy speedboat throughout an engine trial on Wednesday, ensuing within the deaths of 14 individuals, together with Navy personnel. Zohan is the one passenger who stays unaccounted for.
“Six Navy and three Coast Guard floor craft are engaged within the search and rescue mission, which is able to proceed till the boy is discovered. The search covers an unlimited designated space,” a defence spokesperson stated.
The search operation has been difficult, because the incident occurred throughout a full moon, inflicting robust sea currents. This led authorities to deploy helicopters initially, however since then, the Navy and Coast Guard have continued their search with 9 vessels working continuous.
The rescue efforts are mandated to final 72 hours from the time of the incident, however officers stated that they are going to persist of their efforts so long as obligatory.
Apart from, three patrol boats have been deployed by Mumbai’s port zone police for the search. “Police have additionally roped in fishermen and taking assist from different companies similar to Mumbai port belief to hint the lacking boy,” a senior police officer stated.
Zohan’s mom Sakina Pathan drowned within the ferry mishap, and Zohan was final seen in her arms. The Pathan household, residents of Mapusa, Goa, had come to Mumbai for work and had deliberate a quick trip. Their journey turned tragic simply hours after they boarded the ferry from the Gateway of India on Wednesday, heading in the direction of Elephanta Island. The boat was reportedly overloaded, and Ashraf Pathan, Zohan’s father, recalled the shortage of security precautions. “…We may see that the boat was overloaded. I used to be holding our ten-month-old child and my spouse Sakina was holding Zohan. After the accident occurred,my spouse, I and different members have been unable to seek out any life jackets,” Ashraf advised The Indian Categorical.
Whilst he survived together with his youthful son and sister-in-law Sonali Gaunder, Sakina breathed her final on Wednesday. She was taken to INHS Sandhani hospital in Karanje, Navi Mumbai. For the postmortem, the physique was then despatched to Uran rural hospital. On Thursday, the household collected her stays from the Uran rural hospital and left for his or her hometown in Goa, the place her final rites have been carried out.
With Ashraf away in Goa for his spouse’s funeral, his buddies have stayed again in Mumbai and have been protecting him abreast of any updates on Zohan. Nonetheless, till Friday afternoon, Ashraf had not acquired any updates about his son.
A kindergarten pupil, Zohan was slated to hitch the primary grade subsequent 12 months. Sonali had earlier advised The Indian Categorical that the household was slated to return to Goa after their sojourn inside the subsequent two days. “Whereas we survived, the lack of Sakina has left us devastated. Now we have been advised {that a} lacking individuals case has been filed at Colaba police station. Despite the fact that it was the Navy’s boat, officers have given us no updates,” she stated.
In accordance with the household, additionally they misplaced money value `15,000-20,000, Sakina’s purse, different valuables and their luggage containing some current purchases.
The ferry capsize close to Karanje on Wednesday has claimed 14 lives to date. Whereas 13 deceased victims had been recovered inside hours of the crash, the 14th, Hansaaram Bhati, was retrieved from the seas on Thursday night.
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