Panaji Mayor Surendra Furtado, two journalists and four others had a lucky escape when the weed-removal mechanism outfitted boat they were in capsized in a creek here.
The mayor had to be dragged from under the boat, even as all others onboard escaped unhurt but ended up drenched in the sewage-lined water of the creek, swollen by the monsoon torrents.
The media had been invited to cover the de-weeding process of the Campal creek by the mayor himself on Sunday morning.
"I am lucky to survive. It is God's grace," Furtado said, after he was pulled ashore by onlookers.
"The boat's machinery had just the started de-weeding process, when it tilted and all seven of us, including the boat operator fell into the water. The mayor had to be dragged from under the boat which turned turtle," said Anil Lad of local cable TV news channel In-Goa who was also present on the boat.
Lad told IANS that apart from his camera, mobile phones of those on the boat, including the mayor, were damaged.
--IANS
maya/vd
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
