A crowded tourist boat capsized in Kerala state in southern India, killing at least 22 persons.
According to the BBC, as rescue operations began on Monday and the vessel was dragged from murky seas, the death toll may increase.
According to reports from Abdul Nazar, junior superintendent of police for the Malappuram district, the double-decker boat capsized on Sunday night due to overcrowding.
When it capsized last night, the boat was apparently carrying 50 people, or double its capacity.
Using the hashtag #sympathies, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “pained by the loss of lives” and offered his condolences.
Many passengers were trapped under the boat and the darkness held back rescue efforts, according to local media. The casualties included women and children on school holiday.
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At least four people who were taken to hospital are in critical condition, said Kerala’s sports and fisheries minister, V Abdurahiman.
BBC said many of the passengers were not wearing life jackets at the time of the incident, survivors told local media.
The exact number of missing passengers was not immediately clear as authorities are probing the cause of the mishap.
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