The ill-fated passenger boat that sunk off Fort Kochi claiming seven lives, when brought near the shore. Photo: OnmanoramaWe do not learn anything from experiences. The boat tragedy in Kochi on Wednesday was just waiting to happen. The boat was packed with passengers beyond its capacity. It split into two when a fishing boat hit it. And there were no safety equipment on board.
Authorities and officials duty-bound to ensure that we learn from our previous mistakes seem to be vying with each other in allowing more and more lapses. The Kochi boat tragedy is similar to the accidents at Thekkady and Thattekkad in many aspects.
The 35-year-old boat had allowed passengers well beyond its capacity. What mysterious phenomena happened in the waters to lead to a head-on collision between boats? I fail to see any other reason but the lapses from the part of those responsible.
The boat involved in the tragedy at Thekkady was not subjected to a stability test. The boat was purchased without conducting the test. And it was overcrowded when tragedy struck. It did not even have the staff trained to steer the boat with presence of mind in cases of emergency. There was no effective rescue operation in the initial hours. The boat did not even have enough life jackets for the passengers. The boat that capsized at Thattekkad was an old one, too.
The report I had submitted to the government after probing the Thekkady tragedy contained a recommendation to set up a state maritime board to ensure that such a tragedy was not repeated and to coordinate matters related to water transport. This board would have experts including naval architects and marine engineers. The board would be in charge of examining the boats and training the boatmen. Kerala’s neighbouring states already have maritime boards.
The commission has also recommended insurance coverage for boat passengers. The most important recommendation was to subject boats to routine maintenance and repair. Unfortunately, the authorities and officials have not done anything on the report even four years after it was submitted. The government is not even able to bring to law those responsible for dragging people to these tragedies. That is precisely the reason for such tragedies to repeat.
Accidents are often beyond man’s control. But Wednesday’s tragedy was man made. It would not have happened if we had implemented the rules completely and strictly. Had we taken old boats off the waters, appointed staff trained to deal with emergencies and ensured that boats had enough life jackets, we would not have to mourn the death of six persons amid the festivities of Onam.
It is unfortunate when people think they can get away with anything after putting so many lives in danger. We can only pray that such incidents do not recur. Tragedies will continue to stalk water transport as long as the authorities and officials fail to wake up from their slumber and act.
(The writer retired as the Alappuzha Principal District and Sessions Judge and probed the boat tragedy at Thekkady)
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