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It was a traumatic experience but we saved many lives: First responder to ferry mishap

Dec 20, 2024 07:32 AM IST

JNPA ship pilot Anmol Srivastava’s vessel was the first to reach the sunk ferry off Butcher Island and saved 56 persons

MUMBAI: Anmol Srivastava, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) ship pilot, who was a first responder to the passenger ferry accident on Wednesday, feels that it was only due to destiny that he was there to help the victims. The accident, which occurred when a Navy speedboat collided with the ferry, killed 14 people, including an eight-year-old child. Srivastava’s vessel was the first to reach the sunk ferry off Butcher Island and saved 56 persons.

Mumbai, India – Dec 19, 2024: Captain Anmol Srivastava at JNPT, in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, Dec 19, 2024. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)
Mumbai, India – Dec 19, 2024: Captain Anmol Srivastava at JNPT, in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, Dec 19, 2024. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

Ship pilots are captains who do the specialised job of guiding ships through hazardous or congested waterways. Srivastava, who escorts ships in and out of JNPA, was assigned to escort a vessel called Pusan from the APM Terminals in JNPA. He was supposed to board at 1.45 pm but boarded a little earlier.

“There was a delay in loading cargo and I finally left JNPA at 2.45 pm and boarded our JNPA vessel to head back,” said Srivastava. “I was monitoring the wireless set and I heard the crew of the fuel tanker, Tony, berthed at Butcher Island, tell the Mumbai harbour that a ferry was sinking and needed immediate assistance. Had I left earlier at the scheduled time, I would not have been there; it was only due to destiny that I was present to save passengers.”

The crew of Tony also alerted the JNPA authorities. “I checked my distance from the affected launch on my marine traffic app,” said Srivastava. “I was less than five minutes away from the spot. Our master revved up to the maximum possible speed of 14.5 knots. We were five people on board and had the capacity to carry 12 persons.”

Srivastava said that when they reached the spot, the launch had almost sunk. “Many women, children and men were holding on to the sides and some ropes,” he said. “Some who knew swimming remained afloat. A little later, the Mumbai Port Authority vessel Purva, the naval ferry Suvidha and two small fishing vessels reached the spot.”

The ship pilot said that it was mostly children on the top of the wreckage. “Nearly 50 people were holding on to the sinking boat and 30 others were floating,” he said. “I told my crew to lower two iron ladders, and throw lifebuoys, jackets and ropes into the sea. Some of the people were pulled up by hand. Purva pulled out more than 15 persons while some were rescued by the Navy.”

Srivastava informed the JNPA control that they needed four ambulances and a medical crew. “The harbour master and deputy conservator of JNPA, Shashikant Jadhav and Balasaheb Pawar, were constantly in touch with me,” he said. “We picked up 57 people from the site in five minutes. But one child was dead. We tried CPR but could not revive him. A lot of diesel had spilled from the launch and perhaps he swallowed that. I feel bad that we could not save him.”

Two pilot boats and two tugs were also sent by JNPA to the site. Srivastava’s vessel, which has two strong engines, proceeded to JNPA jetty at a much slower speed, as it was overloaded. “Many of the survivors were in a panic, as some of their relatives were missing,” said Srivastava. “We had a tough time pacifying them.”

JNPA chairperson Unmesh Wagh on Friday said that those who helped save passengers’ lives would be felicitated.

Srivastava, who worked in the merchant navy for nearly 16 years, joined JNPA in 2022. He received accolades from his seniors for the rescue job but could not sleep on Wednesday night due to the trauma. “We saved the lives of many people, but that one life I could not save haunts me,” he said.

The ship pilot said that in his two years in the Navy, he had never been to the Elephanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and collection of caves predominantly dedicated to Hindu God Shiva. “I will soon go there,” he said, “to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva, who enabled us to save so many lives.”

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