The boat that took 13 lives! Learn about speedboats

A major accident took place in Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra. An Indian Army speedboat collided with the Neelkamal boat carrying 110 passengers from the Gateway of India on a trip to the Elephanta Caves. After which the Neelkamal boat started sinking. When rescue operations were started immediately after the accident, 13 people including 3 sailors died and 101 people were rescued.

The speed boat that was the victim of the accident belongs to the Indian Navy. According to Navy officials, it is an inflatable boat which was undergoing testing. It would be surprising to know that a small speed boat can cause so much damage by colliding with a big boat with 100 passengers, let’s take a look at what this inflatable boat is.

‘Neelkamal’ from Gateway of India to Elephanta

Many travelers come to Mumbai to visit. Where there is crowd at Gateway of India and Elephanta Caves. To see Elephanta Caves, take a boat from Gateway of India to Elephanta Caves. Then a boat named Neelkamal left with more than 100 passengers.

Speed ​​boat collides with Neelkamal

Neelkamal left with 100 passengers. After reaching 10 km, a Navy speed boat which was circling far in the Arabian Sea came closer and started circling Neelkamal. In the blink of an eye this speed boat collided with Neelkamal.

inflatable boat

An inflatable boat is a lightweight boat made of flexible tubes with edges and pressurized gas. For smaller boats, the floor and hull (bottom) are often flexible, while for boats longer than 3 meters (9.8 ft) the floor is usually made of three to five rigid plywood or aluminum sheets.

Inflatable boats perform well because of their capacity and quality. Some inflatable boats can be disassembled and packed. So that it can be easily stored and transported. When the boat is inflated, it is held in a strong cross-way by a foldable and removable stern. Such feature makes this boat suitable as a lifeboat for commuting or recreational purposes.

naval inflatable boat

These boats of the Indian Navy are used for inland operations and surveillance. This boat has a 40 horse power 2 stroke petrol engine. Which can be operated manually. The boat is 4.5 meters long and 2 meters wide and weighs 135 kilograms. This boat with 5 inflatable chambers can accommodate 8 persons and can carry a maximum weight of 1150 kg. LMG stand is also installed in the boat to mount the gun.