Mumbai: Four die after inhaling toxic gas while allegedly stealing from ship

A foreign-flagged vessel that ran aground off Manori beach in Mumbai’s Gorai area became the site of a fatal alleged theft attempt. Representational pic

Four men died due to suspected inhalation of a toxic gas while allegedly trying to commit a theft on board a foreign-flagged vessel stranded off the Manori beach in Mumbai's Gorai area, police said on Thursday.

The ship, on which the incident occurred two to three days back, had run aground four months ago due to strong winds and heavy rainfall, they said.

According to the police's preliminary investigation, a gang had been repeatedly targeting the stranded vessel over the past one month.

Two to three days ago, a group of eight individuals boarded the ship using a speedboat. While one person stayed back to navigate the speedboat, seven others climbed aboard the vessel, the police said.

Trouble began when four members of the gang went into the interior compartments of the ship to cut a gas pipeline using a gas cutter with the intention of committing a theft. But a sudden toxic gas leak inside the enclosed space caused all four to allegedly suffocate and die on the spot, an official said.

The matter came to light when one of their associates approached the Gorai police station and reported that four of his companions were trapped inside the ship, he said.

Following the alert, the local police coordinated with the merchant navy personnel and launched a recovery operation.

On Wednesday, search teams entered the ship with the assistance of a helicopter, retrieved the four bodies, and sent them to a local hospital for post-mortem examinations.

"All four deceased persons are below 30 years of age. Efforts are underway to formally establish their identities and determine how they navigated the sea to execute the thefts," a police official said.

According to the investigators, the gang had previously raided the vessel twice.

Preliminary reports suggest that a case has been registered against the owner of the ship, who is currently abroad and absconding.

Police are also probing allegations that the vessel was involved in illegal oil-related activities prior to running aground, though official confirmation is pending.

The Gorai police have registered an accidental death report (ADR) and further investigation into the incident is underway.

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