Rameswaram (TN), December 26: Sixteen people, including ten women and five non-resident Indians, were drowned today when their boat capsized in the sea near Vazhai Theevu island in Gulf of Mannar, off Periyapattinam coast, a top police official said.
The NRIs were settled in Australia, DSP Perumal Ramanujam said.
Most of the victims, hailing from fishermen colony of Periyapattinam village, were on a picnic between Rameswaram and Tuticorin in a boat fitted with engine when the mishap occurred, Marine Police DSP Thiagarajan said.
It was not known immediately how many people were travelling in the boat though it was permitted to carry upto seven passengers only, he said, adding preliminary reports said the boat carried more than 20 people.
People from the village had proceeded in two boats, one of which capsized, Thiragarajan said.
–Agencies