What led to Kerala boat tragedy? Overcrowding, use of repurposed fishing boat sans insurance... lot more

Probe reveals that 'Atlantic' which turned turtle in Tanur area in Malappuram district was built as a fishing boat repurposed to ferry passengers had neither license nor insurance and was operated without mandatory life jackets.

Malappuram: Atlantic, the boat involved in the tragic mishap, killing at least 22 persons including 11 from a single family met their watery grave on Sunday night in Malappuram Tanur area, was not built for passenger service but for fishing purpose and was operated by an unlicensed driver beyond permissible time, an official privy to the probe said.

Details reveal the boat as not having a valid insurance for either the service or the passengers, the official sources said. None of the passengers were wearing the mandatory life jacket which could have helped avert the loss of lives in toto, the official pointed out how a life-saving measure was ignored.

Sources said the fishing boat was repurposed into a passenger service by the boat owner Nasar who hails from Tanur and is absconding since the tragedy struck. The boat while it was repurposed has got an upper deck added unmindful of the bearing it would have on the boat's Centre of Gravity, the official said. Nasar has obtained the sublease to operate in the stretch from an individual who has purchased it from KTDC, the official added.

Sources said the route has four boats operating and all the boats were ferrying more than permitted number of passengers. The permissible carrying capacity of Atlantic was only 22 whereas there were over 40 passengers on board at the time of the accident.

During the Eid-Ul-Fitr, local police who were in receipt of complaints from various quarters on ferrying excess passengers stopped the service. The boat owners managed to get the stay revoked by approaching the local bodies. It is still unclear as to whether the boat did have the license to ferry passengers or whether it is still registered as a fishing boat.

Two videos of the boats operated from the Tanur area have been flooding the social media platform. One of the videos show the ill-fated Atlantic taking a short turn being criticised by a few who are with the one making the video. In Malayalam, one person was heard saying that as long as it has a good driver, the boat can stay afloat. He is also heard criticising the driver for taking a short turn which can always force the boat to turn turtle. In fact, the boat capsized in the same location on Sunday where the old video was shot.

In another video, one of the four boats which are ferrying passengers in Tanur area, was seen boarding more passengers. One of the onlookers wonders aloud whether it was a boat or a hen cage, expressing concern over the passengers who were using the service. The boats can operate only upto 6 pm and from the looks of the video, it can be deduced that the boat was in operation beyond the permissible time.