A boat carrying more than 30 passengers capsized in southern India on Sunday evening, killing at least 22 people, officials said.
The deceased included children, who were on the double-decker boat for a school vacation, Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman told Press Trust of India news agency via the Associated Press.
According to Police Officer Abdul Nazar, the boat capsized near Poorappuzha River in Tanur, a coastal town in Malappuram district of Kerala state. Rescue teams expect to recover more bodies as they drag him to shore.
As of early Monday morning, at least four people remain in critical condition.
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Rescuers and others gather after they washed ashore a tourist boat that capsized Sunday night in Malappuram, Kerala, India early Monday, May 8, 2023. (AP Photo/PP Afthab)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed “condolences to the bereaved families” and announced that compensation funds would be given to the next of kin of each victim.
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India’s National Disaster Response Force and Indian Coast Guard personnel are both assisting in the relief work. They are also still searching for those who may be missing.
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Rescuers on a boat search a river after a tourist boat capsized on Sunday night in Malappuram, Kerala, India on Monday, May 8, 2023. More than a dozen have been killed. (AP Photo/PP Afthab)
People watch rescuers on a boat search for a river after a tourist boat capsized on Sunday night in Malappuram, Kerala, India on Monday, May 8, 2023. (AP Photo/PP Afthab)
It’s unclear why the boat capsized, but Nazar said it could have been due to overcrowding. The official cause remains under investigation.
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People watch a tourist boat which capsized on Sunday night in Malappuram, Kerala, India on Monday, May 8, 2023. More than a dozen have been killed. (AP Photo/PP Afthab)
The state chief minister sent his condolences to the families of the victims and said he would visit the area on Monday, which has been officially declared a day of mourning.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
