Pics: Yahya Hallare

Daijiworld Media Network - Karwar (SP)

Karwar, Jan 23: With the recovery of mortal remains of five more persons who had met watery grave when sailing on Arabian Sea in the boat tragedy on Monday January 21 here, the number of people who lost their lives in this accident has reached 13.

The victims had taken part in the car festival of Lord Narasimha temple at Kurmgad island off Karwar coast on Monday. The speed boat they were in was overloaded with passengers. As per an estimate, 31 persons were travelling by the ill-fated boat. While some drowned when the boat was rocked by a huge wave, some others who knew how to swim, had saved themselves by sitting atop the capsized boat. 19 persons were saved with the help of the staff of some other boats operating in the region as well as Coast Guard and Coastal Security Force.

Mortal remains of Jayashree Kotharkar from Kadwad, Ganapati Kotharkar, Geeta Talekar from Ponda, Manjavva, Bharati and a boy named Arun from Shiggaon in Haveri district, Annakka Ingalekar from KHB Colony here, and Nilesh Pednekar from Ramanaguli had been recovered during the rescue operation.

The police, Coast Guard, fisheries department and district administration, which had kept the rescue operation on the entire night on Monday, continued with it on Tuesday. During the operation, five lifeless bodies were found from different parts of the sea. They have been identified as belonging to Kiran (5) from Haveri, currently staying near Light House, Parashuram (35) from Alvewada, Shreyas Pavaskar (28) from Devbaug, Sanjeevini (14) and Saujanya (12) from near Kurmagad.