- Mahesh Patel, pilot of the capsized boat, said he tried to save passengers and apologised for deaths
- Weather worsened mid-journey; no warnings were given to return despite rising winds and waves
- Patel said passengers initially refused life jackets while enjoying the cruise before panic set in
Mahesh Patel, pilot of the cruise boat that capsized in Jabalpur's Bargi dam on Thursday, said he tried to save as many passengers as possible when water flooded the boat and apologised for the nine deaths.
Patel recalled that the weather was normal when they pushed off from Khamariya island, but the winds started picking when they had reached mid-water. "No warning or instruction was given to return due to bad weather," he said. As the storm intensified and waves started pummeling the boat, he took a decision to turn the boat back towards the shore.
Passengers panicked as water began entering the boat, Patel told NDTV, while he alerted ground teams to send another boat for evacuation. "As the boat filled with water, I called the reception desk and requested that they dispatch another boat, warning them that an accident was imminent," he said.
Several survivors alleged they had sensed danger, that the wind and waves had intensified, and that they had asked the crew to turn the boat back. Patel denied this. "No one said anything of the sort to me,'" he said.
Visuals from incident the boat, earlier shared by NDTV, showed the boat crew hurriedly unpacking life jackets after the water was already in the lower desk. The pilot, however, refuted this. "Many passengers had initially refused life jackets, as they were dancing and enjoying themselves," Patel said.
Within 30 minutes of the start of the cruise, Patel witnessed the weather-fuelled inconvenience turn into a tragedy of a kind he had not seen in the 15 years of his experience as a boat pilot. The engine room was flooded and he lost control of the boat. That is when he realised he the boat will not be able to reach the shore.
The staff on board, two members instead of the standard three usually on board, and Patel jumped into action. "I made sure that a maximum number of passengers had life jackets on as the boat continued to sink. I was the last to leave," he told NDTV.
Now terminated alongside cruise helper Chhotelal Gond and ticket counter in-charge Brijendra, Patel said the dismissal will also affect his family, which had been surviving solely on the Rs 27,000 salary he earned from the job. "I apologise, I am traumatised, unable to eat or sleep," he said, recalling the horrific scenes that unfolded in the middle of the dam.
The accident was a natural disaster, Patel said, adding that he holds valid license and training, including life-saving certifications. Further, he claims to have undergo training provided by authorities every two years.
Since the boat capsized around 6.15 pm on Thursday, nine people have died, 28 have been rescued and four are missing. Despite intermittent spells of rain and inclement weather, rescue operations continue to locate the missing persons, though hopes of finding them are fading over 40 hours later.
During the search ops, the bodies of a woman and her son, clutching each other, were recovered. She was on the cruise with her husband and daughter, who survived the accident. 72-year-old Riyaz Hussain had fate on his side. Though underwater, he found a place where he could keep his head above water. He was rescued after being trapped for nearly four hours in the same spot.
Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has said strict action will be taken against those found responsible, and that a Standard Operating Procedure for cruise operations will be prepared through the Department of Tourism to prevent such accidents in future.
Madhya Pradesh Tourism Minister Dharmendra Bhav Singh Lodhi told PTI that a thorough probe will be conducted, and the issue of life jackets will also be investigated.
