Kochi, May 2 (PTI) The Justice V K Mohanan Commission of Inquiry, constituted to probe the 2023 Tanur 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 V K Mohanan, accompanied by technical experts S Suresh Kumar and K P Narayanan, handed over the 14-volume final report to the chief minister at his office on April 30.
The commission was constituted to investigate the May 7, 2023, boat accident at the Poorappuzha estuary in Tanur, which claimed 22 lives.
The inquiry was conducted in two phases based on its terms of reference, the statement said.
The first phase report, submitted on December 4, 2025, examined the immediate circumstances of the accident and identified the individuals and institutions responsible. As part of this phase, the commission held sittings in Tirur over 18 months, examining 51 witnesses and 91 documents.
The second and final phase, submitted on April 30, 2026, dealt with systemic issues, including the adequacy of existing licensing and enforcement mechanisms, future safety measures, and a review of actions taken after previous boat accidents in the state.
For the final phase, the commission held 21 public consultation sessions across all 14 districts and recorded statements from 821 persons, including officials and members of the public.
It also visited tourist and passenger boat jetties and sites of previous major boat accidents, and obtained expert opinions and departmental inputs using powers under the Commissions of Inquiry Act.
The final report contains 141 recommendations aimed at overhauling water transport safety and licensing protocols to prevent the recurrence of such disasters, the statement added.
The accident occurred when a tourist vessel carrying passengers capsized, killing 22 people, including 15 children, five women, and two men.
Investigations later found that the boat had been operating at night in violation of norms and that structural deficiencies in the vessel had contributed to the accident. PTI TBA SSK
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