No fault in naval speedboat, says OEM report; police point to human error

MUMBAI: The Colaba police have received a report from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the Indian Navy speedboat that had crashed into a passenger ferry, Neel Kamal, at Karanja near Uran, enroute to Elephanta Island on December 18

MUMBAI: The Colaba police have received a report from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the Indian Navy speedboat that had crashed into a passenger ferry, Neel Kamal, at Karanja near Uran, enroute to Elephanta Island on December 18. Fifteen people were killed in the crash and several others injured.

Mumbai, India. Dec 20, 2024: General view of damaged tourist ferry Neel Kamal near Bhaucha Dhakka. A Navy speedboat collided with the Neel Kamal ferry near the Gateway of India on Monday, resulting in the tragic loss of 13 passengers' lives. More than 100 passengers were rescued by the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Police. Mumbai, India. Dec 20, 2024. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo) (Hindustan Times)

The OEM report states that there was no fault either in the speedboat or its engine, ruling out the possibility of any malfunction in the vessel. This means, a police officer said, the reason behind the crash is an error on the part of the pilot of the speedboat.

After the accident, police had asked the OEM of the naval vessel and the Indian Navy to conduct independent inquiries into the incident. The report from Indian Navy is awaited, after which a chargesheet will be filed.

“Both the police and the Indian Navy, which is inquiring into the unfortunate incident, had asked the OEM suppliers who had manufactured and supplied the speedboat to the Indian Navy, to carry out an inquiry and check the vessel that had dashed into the passenger ferry,” said a police officer from Colaba police station.

“The report from the manufacturer states that there was no fault in the speedboat ruling out the possibility of a malfunction,” said a police officer.

Following the mishap in December 2024, eye witnesses told the police that the deceased marine commando petty officer, Mahendra Singh Shekhawat, who was steering the naval craft, was unable to reduce the speed; but in trying to avoid a collision, he crashed into the rear end of the passenger ferry and not right in the middle. “We are awaiting the Indian Navy’s report to get a conclusion,” said the police officer.

Neel Kamal, a ferry with over 100 people onboard, was proceeding from Gateway of India to Elephanta Island, a popular tourist destination in the Mumbai harbour, on December 18 when it was hit by a naval speedboat conducting engine trials.

The Colaba police had booked the pilot of the naval speedboat under sections 106 (1) (causing death by negligence), 125(a) (punishment for reckless or negligent acts that endanger the personal safety or life of others), 282 (rash or negligent navigation of a vessel), and 324 (mischief) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

The 15 dead included a Navy officer and two contractual employees with the speedboat company. The ferry boat, Neel Kamal, had capsized after the accident.