Boat carrying 8 overturns in Mumbai’s Powai lake, 3 missing
Picture Courtesy: ANI
Rescue operations are currently underway to locate the three people who have gone missing after the boat in which they were travelling capsized in Powai lake in Mumbai on Friday night. Five others, who were also on board, were rescued successfully.
The incident took place around 11.15 pm when a boat carrying eight people, reportedly natives of Ghatkopar area who had gone for party, rammed into bamboo or a pole in the water, and overturned.
The mishap took place around 100 metres away from the shore.
According to an official with Powai police station, the control room received a call about the boat around 11:30 pm. By that time, locals had managed to rescue some of them, while the others were missing.
The five who were rescued, including the helmsman, are currently being treated and are out of danger.
The rescue team was finding it difficult to carry out the search operation in the night, because of which they had to stop and resume the operation in the morning.
The local police, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Navy are jointly conducting the search operation to locate the three missing persons.
The missing people have been identified as NCP’s youth wing president and law student Atif Khan (20), his uncle Rasul Khan (43) and Dombivali resident Dinesh Bhoir.
The boat in question belonged to Maharashtra State Angling Association (MSAA), a club near the lake. However, when questioned, the club authorities claim that it was taken without their permission.
Back in 2014, the then BMC chief Sitaram Kunte had ordered the demolition of illegal boats operating at Powai lake. But the MSAA managed to get a stay order from the high court.
