Tragedy for Libra passengers off Lakshadweep

**Ally** · 11-22-2006, 09:52 AM

Neuna Shah, a 14-year-old girl from Mumbai, drowned off Kadamat Island near Lakshadweep after a small vessel attached to cruiseliner Super Star Libra capsized on Tuesday.

At least 10 passengers, including the victim and her father Mehul Shah and mother, were disembarking from the cruiseliner into a local boat that was to ferry them to the shore when the small vessel turned turtle. The incident has once again brought the safety measures provided by cruiseliners into focus.

Senior manager (marketing) Star Cruise, Naresh Rawal told DNA: “Our safety policy makes it mandatory on all passengers to don life vests while disembarking the cruiseliner. All passengers, including children, are provided vests.” However, when asked whether all the passengers on the ill-fated smaller craft, including the girl, were wearing life vests at the time of the accident, he could not confirm the same. Another spokesperson, however, insisted that the deceased child was wearing a life vests.

However, personnel on board the cruiseliner were able to rescue all those who fell off the boat, except Neuna Shah. Though Rawal said there were 10 passengers on the ill-fated vessel, reports emanating from the spot indicated the vessel had at least 15 on board.

The cruise liner airlifted the deceased child and her parents in a helicopter and subsequently made arrangements to fly them into Mumbai. A release issued by Star Cruises said the incident involved a capsized a local boat, provided and operated by the Lakshadweep government.

(DNA-Mumbai)