KOCHI: Justice VK Mohanan’s inquiry committee, set up to probe the 2023 tandoor boat accident in Malappuram district, has completed its proceedings and submitted its final report to CM Pinarayi Vijayan, officials said on Saturday.
According to a press release issued by the commission’s office, Justice VK Mohanan, accompanied by technical experts S Suresh Kumar and KP Narayanan, handed over the 14-volume final report to the Prime Minister at his office on April 30.
The committee was set up to investigate the boat accident that occurred on May 7, 2023 at the mouth of the Burapuzha River in Tanur, which claimed 22 lives.
The statement said that the investigation was conducted in two stages based on its terms of reference.
The first phase report, which was submitted on December 4, 2025, addressed the immediate circumstances of the incident and identified the individuals and institutions responsible. As part of this phase, the Commission held hearings in Tirur over a period of 18 months, questioning 51 witnesses and 91 documents.
The second and final phase, introduced on April 30, 2026, addressed systemic issues, including the adequacy of current licensing and enforcement mechanisms, future safety measures, and a review of actions taken after previous boating accidents in the state.
In the final stage, the committee held 21 public consultation sessions in all 14 provinces and recorded statements from 821 people, including officials and members of the public.
It also visited tourist and passenger boat piers and sites of previous major boating accidents, and obtained expert opinions and departmental inputs using the powers set out in the Investigation Committees Act.
The statement added that the final report includes 141 recommendations aimed at reforming water transport safety and licensing protocols to prevent the recurrence of such disasters.
The accident occurred when a cruise ship carrying passengers capsized, killing 22 people, including 15 children, five women and two men.
Investigations later determined that the boat was operating at night in violation of norms and that structural defects in the ship contributed to the accident.
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