Boat carrying Maharashtra chief secretary capsizes off Mumbai coast

A Maharashtra government official was drowned when a boat carrying senior officials including chief secretary DK Jain was flooded and capsized after hitting a rock near Prongs Reef Lighthouse off Mumbai on Wednesday afternoon.

The incident occurred at around 4.15 pm when boats carrying officials, leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and other political parties and journalists for 'bhoomi pujan' at the site of the proposed Shivaji memorial statue off Mumbai when the boat carrying the officials capsized.

While two helicopters were sent on a rescue mission, a coast guard spokesperson said its hovercraft also reached the spot as boats in the vicinity rescued some people from the accident-stricken boat. The coast guard lowered a diver, while two Marine police boats also reached the spot and later towed the capsized boat back to harbour.