House-boat capsizes in Alappuzha; narrow escape for three

Three tourists, including two women, from Tamil Nadu had a narrow escape after a house-boat capsized at Alappuzha in Kerala on Monday.

It is suspected that the house-boat capsized in the Vembanad lake after hitting a sandbar in the afternoon. The tourists, learnt to be family members, were rescued by speed boats that rushed to the spot on noticing the mishap.

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Local sources said that the boat's permit was not renewed. The boat owner maintained that application for renewing permit was already submitted.

A similar incident took place on May 7 when twenty-persons were killed after a tourist boat capsized at Tanur in Malappuram.

The boat was found to be flouting safety norms. The government subsequently decided to strengthen enforcement against tourist boats defying safety norms. Hence the fresh incident assumed more significance.