Mumbai, 18 Dec

Thirteen people died and 101 others were rescued after a Navy speed boat crashed into a ferry off the Mumbai coast on Wednesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

The dead include 10 civilians and three Navy personnel, Fadnavis told reporters at Nagpur. As per the information from Navy, the death toll till 7.30pm is 13, he added.

The Neelkamal ferry was on way to Elephanta Islands, a popular tourist destination near Mumbai, when the speed boat crashed into it around 4 pm, Fadnavis said. He did not specify how many persons were on board the ferry and the speed boat.

The Navy and Coast Guard launched a massive rescue operation, with 11 Navy boats and three boats of Marine Police and a boat of Coast Guard being deployed in the area, a defence official said.

Four helicopters were involved in the search and rescue operation, the official said. Personnel from police, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and fishermen in the area were also involved in the rescue work, the official said.