Sinking of barge P305, tugboat: 52 bodies handed over to families, 27 yet unidentified

Authorities have recovered 79 bodies of crew members who died after barge P305 and tugboat Varprada sank off the Mumbai coast during Cyclone Tauktae. Of these 79, 52 were identified and handed over to the family, while 27 bodies were yet to be identified.

The Mumbai Police has handed over the bodies of 52 crew members who died after barge P305 and tugboat Varprada sank off the Mumbai coast during cyclone Tauktae while 27 bodies are yet to be identified, an official said on Wednesday. The Navy on Tuesday evening recovered another eight bodies near Alibag coast in neighbouring Raigad district, which were handed over to Mumbai Police and sent for autopsy, he said. Earlier, the Navy had handed over the bodies of 71 victims to the city police who has registered an Accidental Death Report and is probing what led to the tragedy. As many as 188 crew members from both the vessels were rescued by the Navy and Coast Guard.