Tourist boat capsizes in Andaman Sea killing 21 people

Initial reports say tourists on board were all Indian

The boat sank off the eastern Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in the Andaman Sea. Image: Google Maps
The boat sank off the eastern Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in the Andaman Sea. Image: Google Maps

A boat carrying local tourists capsized today in India's Andaman Sea in the Bay of Bengal, killing 21 people.

Thirteen were rescued, said administrator P Jawahar. Rescuers were looking for another nine people believed to be missing, CNN-IBN television news channel reported.

The boat sank off the eastern Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and initial reports said the tourists were all Indians.

Jawahar said authorities were investigating the cause of the sinking.

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Accidents are common in India as many ferries are poorly built and often overcrowded, with little regard for safety regulations.

AP