22 people drown after tourist houseboat capsizes in Kerala’s Malappuram

TIL Desk/National/Malappuram/ Twenty-two people, including women and children, were killed when a houseboat with more than 30 passengers on board capsized and sank near the Thoovaltheeram beach in the Tanur area of Kerala’s Malappuram district on Sunday, the state government said. Eight people were rescued after the boat capsized on Sunday evening and are undergoing treatment at various hospitals, district officials said.

The boat, which was carrying more than 30 people, capsized near an estuary close to the Thoovaltheeram beach in the Tanur area around 7:30 pm on Sunday. Sports Minister V Abdurahiman said many of those who died were women and children who had come for a ride amid the ongoing school vacations.

The state government has announced a day of mourning on Monday and cancelled all official events as a mark of respect to those who lost their lives in the accident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condoled the deaths and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each victim.