Ensure safety

The boat ‘Atlantic’ that caused the accident off the Thooval Theeram coast in Poorappuzha, Tanur, resulting in 22 deaths, was operated without adhering to any rules and regulations. The owner had sought permission from the Kerala Maritime Board to operate the service with 21 passengers, but was not granted final approval. Despite this, the boat had 37 passengers and two crew members, including the driver, on board when the accident occurred on Sunday. It was revealed that the owner had applied to convert a fishing boat into a passenger boat. Although the exact number of people onboard when the tragedy struck is still unconfirmed, operators of the month-old cruise service were urging more people to join saying it was the ‘last trip of the day’, despite the boat being overloaded, eyewitnesses said. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that a ₹10 lakh compensation will be paid to the dependents of people who died in the tragic Malappuram boat accident. It will also bear the treatment expenses of the injured people. He also announced that a comprehensive judicial enquiry will be conducted into the boat accident. A special team of police will also investigate the incident.