Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday ordered a judicial probe into Sunday’s accident in which 22 people lost their lives in a boat accident. It turned out to be a Black Sunday for people in Malappuram district as 22 of the 40 holidaymakers who boarded Atlantic, a fishing boat-turned-sailing boat, met with a watery end.
The holiday makers who had come to Tanur Beach in the district boarded the boat rom the newly-opened Thooval Theeram (Shore of Feathers) late evening for a joy trip and the overcrowded which did not have any mandatory safety equipment capsized throwing the gullible travellers into the rollicking waves of the sea.
The NDRF and divers of Indian Navy who rushed to the spot saved nearly 20 people from the sea and rescue operation was called off by 1 PM Monday.
It was on April 23, Kerala’s Minister for Tourism Mohammed Riyaz (who is the new husband of Veena Vijayan, daughter of choef minister Pinarayi Vijayan) declared open the new Floating Bridge at Tanur beach as part of the Government’s mission to make the region a centre of adventure sports.
There were apprehension among the people at that time itself over the safety measures of the beach.
PP Musthafa, Tanur Municipal Councillor who is also a fisherman, told The Pioneer that there was blatant violation of all rules and regulations.
“This boat was not supposed to go out after 5 pm. Because of the holiday, there was a massive turnout of people. My colleagues who witnessed the boat sailing off after 5 pm said me that there were more than 40 persons jampacked in it .There were no life belts and the boat was taken to an uninhabited area and this made the rescue operation impossible for the local population,” said Musthfa.
He said there were many complaints against the boat Atliantic. “It had outlived its utility and the owners made some cosmetic change on it. The owner is said to be a close friend of powerful politicians,” said Musthafa.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared a solatium of Rs 2 lakh to each of the deceased, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared a cash compensation of Rs 10 lakh to each of the deceased.
K Narayana Kurup, former Judge of Kerala High Court who headed an inquiry commission that probed past boat accidents in the State said that though the Government had been told to appoint safety commissioner to ensure the safety of boats, noaction has been taken in this regard. More than 500 lives have been lost in 65 boat capsizes in the State during the last 100 years.