Drowning tragedy shocks Catholics in Kerala

Fifteen students and three teachers of a Catholic school in Elavoor, a parish of the Ernakulam–Angamaly Archdiocese of Kerala drowned during a picnic along a reservoir, February 20, shocking the Catholic community in the state.

The students of the parish's St. Antony's School were on a picnic to a bird sanctuary and the reservoir.

Police said 106 school children, 10 teachers and two non–teaching staff boarded three boats around 5:30 p.m.

The tragedy occurred when one of the three overcrowded boats capsized in the reservoir an hour later at Bhoothathankettu in central Kerala.

Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil of Ernakulam–Angamaly visited Elavoor parish and offered prayers, February 21. "The tragedy has hit us badly," he said, offering condolences and prayers to the grief stricken families of the victims. "May God help us to surpass the toughest moments in our lives," he added.

The cardinal heads the Syro–Malabar Church, one of two Oriental–rite Catholic churches in India, both based in Kerala.

The archdiocese's two auxiliary bishops also tried to comfort bereaved families.

Auxiliary Bishop Sebastian Adayanthrath rushed to the accident spot soon after local television channels flashed news of tragedy. He stayed with family members throughout the night as police searched for bodies.

"This was big tragedy and has united all in grief," Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Chakkiath of Ernakulam said.

With the victims being mostly from poor families, the archdiocese has distributed an aid of Rs. 10,000 (US$ 230) each for funeral expenses of the dead while the Kerala government has declared a compensation of Rs. 200,000 each to the bereaved families.

Police chief Srivastava said the boats did not have safety mechanisms or life jackets. At the time of the accident, 56 people were on the ill–fated boat that was fit to carry only six adults, he added. Initial evidence points to negligence by the boat owners and the crew, he said.

The crew has gone into hiding since the accident.

Vishwa Kumar, who monitors safety measures on boats plying Kerala's inland waters, told UCA News the boats the school used were not supposed to operate after 6 p.m.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, who heads the Kerala state government, has ordered a detailed inquiry into the accident.

State Education Minister M.A. Baby told UCA News he would formulate policy guidelines for conducting school tours. "The tragedy has opened our eyes. We have to formulate policy guidelines regarding excursions conducted by schools," he added.

The Indian Catholic Church consists of the Kerala–based Syro–Malabar and Syro–Malankara churches, which both follow Syrian church traditions and trace their roots to St. Thomas the Apostle, and the Latin rite, which follows the Roman liturgy and was established by Portuguese missionaries.