May 7 (Reuters) – At least 16 individuals drowned after a ship capsized within the Malappuram district of India’s southern state of Kerala, the state’s minister for fisheries and harbour improvement, V. Abdurahiman, stated on Sunday.

Twelve our bodies have been recognized, he informed reporters on the accident web site, including that the dying toll was more likely to rise because the boat was caught within the mud and was being lifted and damaged to rescue individuals trapped inside.

“Pained by the loss of lives due to the boat mishap in Malappuram, Kerala,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated in a tweet.

Reporting by Jyoti Narayan and Jose Devasia; Editing by Sandra Maler

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