Goa-Divar ferry over-revved, fire erupts briefly

Panaji: A brief scare occurred on the Old Goa-Divar ferry route on Thursday after smoke was seen rising from a ferry boat, prompting swift action from the crew.
A video that surfaced on social media showed ferry staff attempting to control the situation as smoke billowed from the vessel. According to sources, the ferry grounded on the ramp on the Old Goa side, and the coxswain reportedly over-revved the engine in an effort to dislodge it.
“This action caused the asbestos cladding on the silencer to catch fire. The crew acted quickly and managed to extinguish the fire using water, bringing the situation under control before it could escalate,” director of the river navigation department, Vikram Rajebjosale, told TOI. No injuries or major damages were reported, he added.
After high tide occurred, the ferry managed to dislodge after running aground; however, it continued to be parked at the site. The ferry boat will be towed to the Betim jetty workshop for a thorough inspection and to estimate any potential losses on Friday. Ferry services on the route remained largely unaffected, and operations resumed shortly after the incident.