Thekkady boat tragedy biggest in Kerala history

In one of the biggest tragic incidents in Kerala, 39 tourists were killed as a tourist boat carrying nearly 80 passengers capsized in Thekkady Lake in the Periyar wild life sanctuary.

The tragedy occurred on Wednesday (September 30) when the state run double decker boat 'Jalakanyaka' carrying nearly 80 tourists tilted after several of them moved to one side on sighting elephants in the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary on the banks of the lake.

The passengers who were killed were largely from neighbouring Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and New Delhi.

The Thekkady boat tragedy is one of the biggest ever in the history of Kerala. The last major accident occurred at Kumarakom in Kottayam district in 2002 in which 29 travellers were killed. Then it was the Thattekad boat incident near Kothamangalam in which 18 students and teachers, who were on a picnic died.

The Kerala government was quick to order a judicial inquiry. But the Thekkad boat tragedy points out to the fact that basic safety norms were not followed while carrying tourists.

Even though the commissions that enquired into the earlier major boat tragedies had recommended many safety measures, the government had failed to implement them.