Mumbai:Three feared drowned as boat capsizes

Search operations will resume on Thursday morning. (Representational Image)

Three persons were feared drowned after a boat ferrying them from Madh Island to Versova capsized on Tuesday night.

According to the Mumbai Fire Brigade, there were seven persons in the boat, including the operator. When it capsized, four of them were able to swim ashore but three others were feared drowned. They were identified as Nazir Mohammad (60), Mohammad Yusuf (42) and Saddiq Umar Abbas (40). All are from Versova.

Locals from the Versova fishermen colony said all three were businessmen who sold dried fish. They were returning from Madh Island where they owned a godown to store dried fish. They had resumed work two days back after the central government issued a notification allowing fishing activity during the lockdown.

“As steamer boats are yet to operate, small boats are being used. On Tuesday around 4 pm they collected the fish and went to Madh. Around 9 pm they were coming back along with four others,” said Santosh Patil, a fisherman from Versova from whom all three used to buy dried fish.

The fire brigade searched for the missing persons till Wednesday morning. “We have handed over charge to police and if any help is required I will send a team,” said P S Rahangdale, Chief Fire Officer, Mumbai Fire Brigade.

Search operations will resume on Thursday morning.