Snehasish Ganguly, Wife Survive Terrifying Puri Boat Accident — Watch the Dramatic Rescue (Screengrab/@vijaymirror)
Photo : Times Now Digital
Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Snehasish Ganguly and his wife, Arpita Ganguly, survived a terrifying boat accident a couple of days ago in Puri. Snehasish, brother of former India captain Sourav Ganguly, was in Puri as part of a 31-year tradition of performing puja at the Jagannath Temple annually. Snehasish and his wife are safely back in Kolkata following the incident.
"I thank Lord Jagannath. This is sort of a second life for us," Ganguly (56) told Cricbuzz on Monday (May 26). "It was a life-threatening accident. Our boat capsized inside the sea and we were saved by the local people and lifeguards," the CAB President told Cricbuzz about the incident.
"I visit Puri every year - it has been a tradition for the past 31 years. I perform puja at the Jagannath Temple annually. On Saturday, we suddenly decided to go into the sea. I don't know why I chose to do it - it was a last-minute decision. It was around 5:30 in the evening when we boarded the boat along with another couple. There were lifeguards on board. Suddenly, a powerful wave struck the boat, and it capsized instantly, turning (it) upside down. We were trapped beneath the capsized boat, inside the water," he recalled.
VIDEO: Watch the Dramatic Rescue
"Before we could even realise what had happened, another wave struck, and the boat flipped upright. That gave us a chance to wriggle free from the trapped situation. Around that time, some lifeguards also reached and rescued us. I can't express the relief - I just thank Lord Jagannath," said the 59-year-old.
Speaking to the media after their rescue, Arpita revealed that despite the boat having a capacity for 10 people, only three to four were taken onboard — all for the “greed of money.” She added that they were taken out to sea even after raising safety concerns. Arpita further called for a ban on such sporting activities along a rough sea beach like Puri, stressing the risks involved.
"The sea was already very rough. There was a capacity of 10 people on the boat, but due to the greed for money, they allowed only three to four people on board. This was the last boat to go into the sea for the day. We had raised concerns over going into the sea, but the operators told us that it is fine," she narrated.
