Indian tourist ship capsizes in Andaman Sea leaving 21 dead

Around 21 people have died after a tourist boat, the Aqua Marine, capsized in the Bay of Bengal, near India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Aqua Marine was travelling from Ross Island to North Bay and was carrying 45 people on board, including 18 crew members.

The passengers included tourists from the Kanchi Puram district of Tamil Nadu, who had been staying at a resort at Prothrapur in the South Andaman district, and a group of tourists from Mumbai.

According to the Indian Air Force and Coast Guard authorities, 13 people have been rescued so far and 11 people have been reported as missing. It is believed that some people may be trapped in the ship’s cabin.

The cause of the accident is currently unknown, but government sources stated that the privately-owned boat had a carrying capacity of 25 people, but it was carrying 45 people at the time of the accident.

According to sources, the vessel’s plank broke, which caused water to enter the boat when it had travelled less than two nautical miles from Ross Island.

The rescued persons were admitted to the G B Pant Hospital in Port Blair.