Twenty-two people were feared killed as a boat capsized in Thekkady lake on Wednesday evening.

Jalakanyaka, a boat operated by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC), capsized about four kilometres from the boat-landing area at 5.00 p.m. Most of the tourists on board were from Karnataka. A few foreign tourists were also on board.

Navy pressed into service

Around 40 divers from the Southern Naval Command here have left for Thekkady, about 180 kilometres from here, for search and rescue operations. "Night flying over that terrain is ruled out. The team, with complete search and rescue gears, has proceeded to the accident site by road," said sources in the Navy. The team is likely to take about four hours to reach the spot.

An Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv has taken off from the Southern Naval Command here to carry out aerial search operations over the boat tragedy site in Thekkady lake. "With weather conditions improving, the Navy has decided to press into service an ALH for search operations, " said a Navy source. The death toll in the tragedy has risen to 22 as per confirmed reports.

Probe ordered

Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan has said that a high-level inquiry would be held into the causes of the capsize.

Describing the mishap as an extremely saddening one, the Chief Minister told reporters here late on Wednesday evening that a three-member team of Ministers comprising Home and Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Revenue Minister K. P. Rajendran, and Water Resources Minister N. K. Premachandran had rushed to Thekkady. The incident was reminiscent of the boat tragedy at Thattekkad two years ago, the Chief Minister said.

Mr. Achuthanandan, who held hurried consultations with his Cabinet colleagues present in the State capital immediately after being informed about the boat mishap, said he had got in touch with Defence Minister A. K. Antony, and was assured all support from the Navy in the search and rescue operations. Mr. Antony had got back to him within two minutes of his call to Delhi and told him that the Navy had been instructed to send divers and all necessary support systems necessary for the rescue operations. The naval personnel were already on the move by road from Kochi and efforts were also on to induct helicopters from Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram in the rescue team, the Chief Minister said.

He said the Idukki district collector was constantly in touch with the rescue effort and the State capital and had informed him that seven bodies had been recovered (by 6.45 p.m.) and seven persons had been sent to hospital for treatment. Two teams of doctors from Idukki and Kottayam had also been sent to the scene of the mishap.

Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan has said that a high level inquiry would be held into the causes for the boat capsize at Thekkady.

PTI adds

President expresses sorrow over the incident

President Pratibha Patil has expressed sorrow over the tragic boat incident in Kerala that claimed at least 22 lives.

A Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson said the President has condoled the capsizing which took place at Thekkady Lake in Kerala’s Idukki district.

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