In a heartbreaking incident on Wednesday evening, 62-year-old Vilas Govind was shocked to learn that his daughter, son-in-law and grandson were among the victims of a fatal boat accident in Mumbai.
The tragedy occurred when the Ahire family was traveling on the Neel Kamal ferry, which was traveling from Gateway of India to Elephanta Caves.
Unaware of the unfolding tragedy, Govind had decided to stay near the gateway, waiting for his family to return. He had even said, “I wasn't in the mood for a boat ride” before his family left. Deciding to stay on the coast, he waited patiently for their visit to the Elephanta Caves. But sadly they never returned.
It was only when he reached the pig hospital that he saw the heartbreaking sight of his daughter Harshada Ahire (31), her 7-year-old son and her husband Rakesh Ahire (34) lifeless and distressed. About the fatal ferry accident.
Rakesh Ahire, a construction businessman, and his wife, Harshada, a homemaker, reside in Pimplgaon, a village in the Nashik region. The family had planned to catch a train to Nashik that evening after visiting the Gateway of India. “It has come as a shock to all of us,” says Vilas' brother Ravindra Govind. Rakesh Ahire used to visit Mumbai frequently for his medical treatment in suburban Lokhandwala. However, on Wednesday, with time off before their train returned to Nashik. , they decided to go to Gateway of India for a ferry ride.
Amid the tragedy, Nidhesh's body was initially kept in the “unidentified” section of the hospital morgue until his grandfather came forward to identify him.
The death toll from the tragic boat accident rose to 14 on Thursday after rescue teams recovered the body of another missing passenger. Authorities are still searching for a seven-year-old boy who has not yet been identified. As reported by news agency PTI, the ongoing search operation includes a Navy helicopter and vessels from the Navy and Coast Guard, while eight boats have been deployed for search and rescue (SAR) operation.