January 27, 2014

21 die as boat capsizes in India

At least 21 people including tourists are feared dead after a boat capsized near islands in India’s Andaman Sea, Skynews reports.

The boat was carrying 43 people when it sank between Ross Island and North Bay near Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Some 13 survivors were pulled from the water after a search and rescue operation was launched.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed his shock and said he was sad for the loss of life.

A police spokesman said initial reports suggested the boat sank after it developed a crack in its hull.

The tourists on board were all from India, he said.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are more than 600 miles (1,000km) from the Indian mainland and are flanked by the Andaman Sea to the east and the Bay of Bengal to the west.

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