<p>At least 21 persons died today when the tourist boat carrying them capsized in the Bay of Bengal near here in the Andaman and Nicobar islands, official sources said.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The boat carrying 45 people - tourists from Kanchi Puram district of Tamil Nadu and Mumbai, and crew members -- sank on its way from Ross Island to North Bay.<br /><br />The South Andaman district administration confirmed 21 deaths and said 13 people were rescued.<br /><br />Civil administration and defence establishments like the Coast Guard conducted operations to rescue remaining passengers, the sources said.<br /><br />It was suspected that some persons might have been trapped in the cabin of the boat 'Aqua Marine'.<br /><br /></p>.<div>Though the boat had the capacity to carry only 25 passengers, it was overcrowded which led to the accident, the sources said.<br /><br /></div>.<div>A group of tourists from Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu who were staying in a resort at Prothrapur in South Andaman district, and another small group of tourists from Mumbai were on the boat, they said.<br /><br /></div>.<div>Lt Governor Lt Gen (Retd) A K Singh announced an exgratia payment of Rs one lakh to the family of the deceased.<br /><br /></div>.<div>Singh also spoke to Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and briefed him about the rescue operations he ordered after the accident.<br /><br /></div>.<div>The rescued persons were admitted to G B Pant Hospital in Port Blair where the bodies were also taken for postmortem, the sources said.<br /><br /></div>.<div>Helpline numbers set up at the district control room are: 1070, 03192-240127/230178/238881 and those in the G B Pant Hospital are: 03192-230629/9933274092. The local helpline number is 102.<br /><br /></div>.<div>Additional District Magistrate of South Andaman has been directed to conduct a magisterial enquiry into the incident.</div>
<p>At least 21 persons died today when the tourist boat carrying them capsized in the Bay of Bengal near here in the Andaman and Nicobar islands, official sources said.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The boat carrying 45 people - tourists from Kanchi Puram district of Tamil Nadu and Mumbai, and crew members -- sank on its way from Ross Island to North Bay.<br /><br />The South Andaman district administration confirmed 21 deaths and said 13 people were rescued.<br /><br />Civil administration and defence establishments like the Coast Guard conducted operations to rescue remaining passengers, the sources said.<br /><br />It was suspected that some persons might have been trapped in the cabin of the boat 'Aqua Marine'.<br /><br /></p>.<div>Though the boat had the capacity to carry only 25 passengers, it was overcrowded which led to the accident, the sources said.<br /><br /></div>.<div>A group of tourists from Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu who were staying in a resort at Prothrapur in South Andaman district, and another small group of tourists from Mumbai were on the boat, they said.<br /><br /></div>.<div>Lt Governor Lt Gen (Retd) A K Singh announced an exgratia payment of Rs one lakh to the family of the deceased.<br /><br /></div>.<div>Singh also spoke to Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and briefed him about the rescue operations he ordered after the accident.<br /><br /></div>.<div>The rescued persons were admitted to G B Pant Hospital in Port Blair where the bodies were also taken for postmortem, the sources said.<br /><br /></div>.<div>Helpline numbers set up at the district control room are: 1070, 03192-240127/230178/238881 and those in the G B Pant Hospital are: 03192-230629/9933274092. The local helpline number is 102.<br /><br /></div>.<div>Additional District Magistrate of South Andaman has been directed to conduct a magisterial enquiry into the incident.</div>