Daijiworld Media Network – Mapusa

Mapusa, Oct 28: In a shocking late-night incident, a Chandigarh resident living in Moira drove his Maruti Gypsy straight into the river at Corjuem ferry ramp around 2 am on Monday after reportedly following Google Maps for directions.

The driver, identified as Amandeep Singh, said he was unfamiliar with the area and mistook the river for a road. “Since I was new to the area, I was following Google Maps. I couldn’t tell the difference between the water and the road, and since I was looking at the map, the car went in and kept going in. Luckily, the car was an old Gypsy with a soft top, and I could open the back and swim out,” Singh said.

Locals who helped retrieve the vehicle found several alcohol bottles inside, including one that was empty. A visibly shaken Singh said he was lucky to escape alive. “I was out of breath by the time I got out. It was the last of my breath. If there was someone else with me or a different vehicle, we would not have been alive,” he said.

Singh mentioned that he had moved to Moira just two months ago.

Congress MLA Carlos Ferreira, who visited the site, criticised the authorities for failing to secure abandoned ferry ramps. “This ramp of the river navigation department is not being used, and I think the department should have put cautionary signs and barriers to prevent vehicles from going in. Both ramps are unused, and the government should have addressed this earlier,” Ferreira said.

Firefighters from the Mapusa fire station, who pulled the Gypsy out using a winch, echoed the same concern, warning that more vehicles could accidentally drive into the water.

Although the incident occurred at around 2 am, Singh did not inform the fire department or the police. Locals discovered the submerged vehicle the next morning and alerted authorities after spotting Singh and his friends searching for it. The Mapusa fire station was officially informed only at 10:51 am.

“Those who follow Google Maps must be cautious, especially during heavy rains when visibility is poor. Technology can mislead you into dangerous places,” Ferreira added.