Karwar: Various organisations, including Congress workers, staged a silent march in the city on Monday and demanded a judicial enquiry into the Karwar boat tragedy which claimed 16 lives last week. The 16th body was found on Monday afternoon.

Wearing a black ribbon on their arms, hundreds of people, including fisherwomen, took out a silent procession in the city and gathered in front of the deputy commissioner’s office.

On January 21, a boat carrying 35 devotees was returning to Karwar beach from Kurmagad island after participating in a car festival at the island. Near Kali river estuary, the overloaded boat capsized where 16 people drowned and 19 were rescued by other boats.

Former MLA Satish Sail said, a total of 16 boats got permission by concerned authorities to carry people to the island for the festival. However, on the day of the festival, many boats, especially some sand extracting boats, also ventured into the sea to carry devotees to the island and bring them back.

“Despite Coastal Security Police, Indian Coast Guard ships and their crews patrolling in the water, many ships ventured illegally and security agencies kept quite. Therefore, judicial enquiry or CID enquiry should be held into the case where illegalities are seen,” he said.

He also demanded the Union government to announce compensation for the deceased families under Prime Minister relief fund. And also said to make insurance policies for any waterways mishaps.

16TH BODY FOUND

Karwar: Rescue teams have recovered the 16th body, that of a youngster from the Karwar boat tragedy, after eight days of the incident. The body was found at Alvekodi near Shirali of Bhatkal taluk on Monday. The body was traced beyond 100 km from the accident spot. From last one week, Indian Navy, ICG, and Coastal Security police, have deployed their vessels to search for missing persons in the sea. Apart from ships, two helicopters from the Navy and ICG were also deployed to search for the bodies. On the day of incident, eight bodies were recovered, six bodies were recovered off Karwar coast on the second day and another body was recovered off Gokarna coast which is was about 40 km away from Karwar, on the third day. Additional Deputy Commissioner Suresh Itnal said, a body of a missing person was found at Alvekodi near Bhatkal. ICG crew shifted the body to an ambulance and it is heading to Karwar from Bhatkal.