NEW DELHI: Snehasish Ganguly, elder brother of former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly, and his wife Arpita narrowly escaped a serious accident during a speedboat ride in the sea off Puri, Odisha, on Saturday evening. The incident occurred near the Lighthouse area, a popular spot for tourists engaging in water sports.
According to police sources on Monday, the couple was thrown into the rough sea after a massive wave struck their speedboat, causing it to capsize. Dramatic visuals aired by local television channels showed the boat flipping over amid turbulent waters.
“We were saved by the grace of God. I am still in trauma,” Arpita said in a video statement to PTI. “This should not happen. Water sports in the sea must be properly regulated. I will write to the Puri SP and Odisha Chief Minister once I return to Kolkata.”
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Recounting the terrifying experience, she said the boat was hit by a wave “almost ten-storey high,” which caused the vessel to flip over, throwing all passengers—including her and Snehasish—into the sea.
"Thankfully, the quick action of the lifeguards saved our lives," she added.
Local police said lifeguards deployed on the beach rushed to the spot and rescued all the tourists on board. Rubber floats were used to ensure the passengers' safety.
A visibly shaken Arpita blamed the incident on the "greed" of the adventure sports operators. She alleged that the boat was unstable, carrying only four passengers on a vessel designed for ten, making it unbalanced and unfit to handle the strong tides.
"Due to less weight, the boat lost balance and could not encounter the huge wave. The sea was already very rough," she said.
"Though we raised concerns about safety due to the rough sea and high tide, the operators assured us it was safe. But shortly after venturing out, a huge wave hit the boat, and it capsized," she further said.
Arpita demanded that the government tighten regulations surrounding water sports in the region and said authorities should even consider banning such activities altogether.
Locals alleged that the speedboat was operated by untrained staff employed by a private adventure company.
"The crew lacked proper skills to handle high tides and the company ignored essential safety protocols mandated for such activities," an eyewitness said.
It was also alleged that the company had been conducting water sports activities without obtaining the requisite permission from the Puri district administration.
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