A routine ferry ride to Elephanta Island turned into a nightmare for passengers aboard the Neelkamal when the ferry collided with a speedboat and sank, leaving many fighting for their lives in the waters off Mumbai’s coast, at least 13 have been reported dead till press time. Witnessing the tragedy unfold from a nearby boat, tourists who had narrowly missed boarding Neelkamal were shaken by the sight of the ferry going under.

“We saw the ferry sinking right in front of our eyes and felt so bad for those on board. We were going to board Neelkamal but decided not to as it was full. It was a horrendous incident,” said Mehrunnissa, 60, a tourist.