Team Herald
CALANGUTE: A boat ride for a family from Khed, Maharashtra, turned tragic on Christmas as one of its members drowned after the “overloaded” vessel overturned at Calangute beach on Wednesday morning.
According to lifesavers, they rescued over 20 passengers aged between six and 65 years when the tourist boat capsized at around 10.30 am.
The deceased tourist, identified as Suryakant Pophalkar (45), was part of a family of 13 from Khed, who were among the passengers onboard when the boat capsized.
Pophalkar drowned after getting trapped under the overturned boat and was declared brought dead at the Candolim Primary Health Centre (PHC), health officer Dr Roshan Nazareth said, adding that the other passengers are out of danger.
“The rescue was undertaken after a local tourist boat that was overloaded with more than 20 passengers, capsized almost 60 metres away from the coastline resulting in all the passengers being tossed into the rough sea. Two passengers on the boat were not wearing life jackets, further complicating the rescue,” the lifesavers said.
As many as 18 on-duty lifesavers rushed to the aid of the struggling passengers and brought them to shore safely.
Most of the passengers, who sustained minor injuries, were administered first aid, while passengers with critical injuries were rushed in an ambulance and taken to the Candolim Primary Health Centre.
Of the 20 passengers, two children aged between six and seven and two women aged between 25 and 55 are undergoing treatment.
The accident occurred amidst a huge rush of tourists in the Calangute-Candolim beach belt. Family members of the group of tourists said they had driven down in the morning and were to drive back in the evening. “We’re not staying in a hotel,” they said.