Forensic report finds serious defects: ‘Thekkady boat wasn’t water-worthy’

The State Forensic Department on Tuesday said the tourist boat which sank in Kerala’s Periyar reservoir killing 45 people was not water worthy and had serious manufacturing defects. The forensic report has been prepared by Police Academy joint director K Mohanan as part of the Crime Branch probe ordered by the state government.

The report said the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) had not conducted the mandatory safety tests before launching the boat. The fibre used for constructing the boat was of inferior quality. The upper deck of the vessel should have been avoided considering that it was constructed using light-weight fibre.

The boat had an inclination towards one side on which it had toppled during the ill-fated cruise. Though this defect had been detected on the first day of service in August,the KTDC failed to realise the gravity of the matter. Had the KTDC taken corrective steps,the tragedy would have been averted,it said.