Barge P305 tragedy: 3 arrested, sent to police remand till July 8

Mumbai, July 3: The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Saturday remanded to police custody three persons arrested by Mumbai Police earlier today in connection with the Barge P305 drowning incident during Cyclone Tauktae this May.

 

 

The three arrested include two technical staff of Pappaa Management Company and its Managing Director (MD), police said. The arrested were remanded to police custody till July 8.

 

 

Mumbai Police had filed a case of negligence in the mishap against the captain of barge P305. The barge sank in the Arabian Sea, 35 nautical miles from Mumbai under the impact of Cyclone Tauktae. In June, the police also filed an FIR against the owner of the tug Varaprada that sank during cyclone Tauktae.

 

 

As many as 188 people who were on the barge when it sunk have been rescued and at least 51 bodies have been recovered from till now with rescue operations still underway. Apart from P305, 11 crew members of tugboat Varaprada are also missing. A massive search operation was underway to locate the missing personnel. Two ships of the Indian Navy, INS Kochi and INS Kolkata, three coast guard vessels and 14 other vessels owned by ONGC and chartered vessels are carried the rescue mission.