NEW DELHI, May 8 (NNN-PTI) – At least 21 people, most of them school children, died, after a houseboat, carrying over 35 passengers capsized, in India’s southern state of Kerala, late last night, local police confirmed, early today.
The accident occurred off the coastal town of Tanur, in Kerala’s Malappuram district. Around ten people have been rescued so far, and the rescue operation is still ongoing, a senior police officer said, over the phone.
Most of the deceased were children, who had come for a ride, amid ongoing school vacations, Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman, was quoted as saying.
The exact cause of the accident is not known yet.
Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of India, Droupadi Murmu, expressed grief at the accident and sent condolences to the bereaved families.
An ex-gratia of 200,000 Indian rupees (around 2,447 U.S. dollars) from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund would be provided to the next of kin of each deceased, tweeted the prime minister.– NNN-PTI
