Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Oct 1: Four men died after allegedly inhaling toxic gas while attempting to steal from a foreign-flagged vessel stranded off Manori beach in Mumbai’s Gorai area, police said on Thursday.

The vessel had run aground around four months ago following strong winds and heavy rainfall. According to the preliminary police investigation, a gang had allegedly been targeting the stranded ship repeatedly over the past month.

Two to three days ago, eight people reportedly reached the vessel in a speedboat. While one person remained in the boat, seven others boarded the ship, police said.

The incident occurred when four members of the group entered an enclosed compartment and allegedly attempted to cut a gas pipeline using a gas cutter. A sudden toxic gas leak inside the compartment caused the four men to suffocate and die, according to police.

The incident came to light after one of the group members approached Gorai police and reported that four of his companions were trapped inside the vessel.

Police then coordinated with merchant navy personnel and launched a recovery operation. On Wednesday, search teams entered the vessel with helicopter assistance and recovered the four bodies. They were sent to a local hospital for post-mortem examinations.

“All four deceased persons are below 30 years of age. Efforts are underway to formally establish their identities and determine how they navigated the sea to execute the thefts,” a police official said.

Investigators said the gang had allegedly raided the vessel twice earlier.

Police have also registered a case against the vessel’s owner, who is currently abroad and reportedly absconding. Authorities are probing allegations that the vessel may have been involved in illegal oil-related activities before running aground, though this has not been officially confirmed.

The Gorai police have registered an accidental death report (ADR), and further investigation is underway.