In a tragic incident this morning, a boat carrying 40 school children capsized in Maharashtra’s Dahanu. The accident happened at 11:30 am near Parnaka beach off the coast of Dahanu in Palghar district.

In a tragic incident this morning, a boat carrying 40 school children capsized in Maharashtra’s Dahanu. The accident happened at 11:30 am near Parnaka beach off the coast of Dahanu in Palghar district.

Local BJP MLA Manisha Choudhary also claimed that the boat was ferrying around 40 children. As per ANI reports, 3 students have lost their lives in the tragedy. “Incident happened at 11 am, the boat might have capsized due to imbalance. With coordinated effort of all agencies & local fishermen 32 students were rescued, 2 have been pronounced dead,1 unidentified body has been found,”said Commandant Vijay Kumar, Coast Guard. The bodies of Sonal Bhagwan Surati and Janhavi Harish Surati, both residents of Masauli in Dahanu’s Ambedkar Nagar area, were recovered, Manjunath Singe, Superintendent of Police, Palghar told PTI.

Singe said that the private boat was carrying 40 students of Ponda School and Junior College in Parnaka in Dahanu and capsized around 11.30 am. The students were on a picnic. “The Coast Guard has deployed its ships and aircarft in the rescue operation and personnel from several departments like the coastal police are involved in the search operations,” Singe informed. Meanwhile, 32 have been rescued out of 40 who were on board boat that capsized 2 nautical miles from the Dahanu seashore. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is helping the police and maritime authorities in the combined sea and air operations.

The ICG has diverted at least three ships and two aircrafts to the site for the rescue. District Collector Prashant Narnaware told PTI that the incident occurred this morning off the Dahanu coast. “Massive rescue and relief operations are underway and District Superintendent of Police and local officials are supervising the operations,” he said. Further details were awaited, he said.

“Coast Guard has diverted ships which were at sea and ships are also sailing from Mumbai. Dornier aircraft and helicopters from Daman (near to Dahanu) have also been launched,” said Coast guard PRO on the rescue operations in Dahanu.