Mumbai boat tragedy: survivor disputes engine failure, says Navy driver was ‘showing off’

A survivor of the Mumbai boat tragedy, Gaurav Gupta, claims the driver of the Navy speedboat that collided with a ferry was “showing off.” The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon near Mumbai’s Karanja. The Navy craft, undergoing engine trials, reportedly lost control and struck the passenger ferry Neel Kamal, which was en route from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island.

Gupta, who was on the ferry with his aunt and relatives, was devastated to learn that his aunt was one of the 14 fatalities. The group had been in Mumbai for Gupta’s wedding. “I had no idea it would be the last day of her life,” Gupta said.

The Navy had initially attributed the crash to an engine failure in the speedboat. However, Gupta contests this, stating the boat driver was “showing off” and recklessly zigzagging through the water. Many passengers, including Gupta, were filming the boat as it performed stunts. “It felt like a display,” Gupta said.

Gupta explained that as the ferry neared Elephanta Island, the speedboat approached with 5 to 6 passengers on board. The driver appeared playful, weaving through the water, before suddenly veering directly toward the ferry. “He thought he could pass by us narrowly, but his stunt ended in tragedy,” Gupta added.

At the time of the collision, many passengers on the ferry were not wearing life jackets. Gupta recalled that initially, the passengers thought the ferry was unharmed. But soon, the vessel began to sink.

Gupta also noted that before the crash, the speedboat driver appeared relaxed. “If there was an issue with the boat, the passengers wouldn’t have been so calm,” he said.