It was a photo-op gone wrong as a boat carrying Panaji Mayor Surendra Furtado and six others capsized while cleaning out a creek. All of them escaped unhurt.
The mayor had invited Goa’s local media to cover the de-weeding of a creek in Panaji. The boat, fitted with machinery to remove weeds, was cleaning out the creek with Furtado and others on board. Trouble ensued when the machine’s hydraulic teeth got entangled with the weed. The boat began to tilt to one side and then toppled with the weight of the seven on board.
The video, by In Goa 24X7, captures the dramatic moment when the boat starts to capsize and shows Furtado and the others, including some journalists and the boat operator, being pulled out from under it.
“The boat’s machinery had just started de-weeding when it tilted and all of us, including the boat operator, fell into the water,” said head of In-Goa, a local cable TV news channel.
"It was a minor incident,” Furtado said. “There is nothing to worry about... I am not hurt. The incident happened just at the bank of the creek.”
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!