Snehasish Ganguly, former Bengal cricketer and current Cricket Association of Bengal president, and his wife Arpita faced a harrowing experience when their speedboat capsized off Puri, Odisha, near the Lighthouse area, a popular tourist spot.
The couple was caught in a "life-threatening accident" when their boat was struck by a wave described as "almost ten-storey high," causing it to flip and throw all passengers into the sea. Arpita recounted,
"We were trapped beneath the capsized boat, inside the water. Before we could even realise what had happened, another wave struck, and the boat flipped upright."She criticized the adventure sports operators, blaming the incident on their "greed," alleging the boat was unstable and unbalanced, carrying only four passengers on a vessel designed for ten, making it unfit to handle strong tides.
Local police confirmed that lifeguards stationed on the beach promptly responded, rescuing all tourists aboard using rubber floats to ensure safety. Ganguly expressed gratitude, stating,
"Our boat capsized inside the sea and we were saved by the local people and lifeguards."This incident highlights concerns over safety standards in adventure water sports at popular tourist destinations, emphasizing the critical role of trained lifeguards and local responders in preventing tragedies.
The narrow escape of the Ganguly couple has drawn attention to the need for stricter regulation and oversight of boating activities to protect tourists from similar life-threatening situations.
Sources: 
Snehasish Ganguly and his wife Arpita narrowly escaped a life-threatening speedboat accident off Puri, Odisha, when their boat capsized after being hit by a massive wave. Lifeguards and local divers swiftly rescued them, with Ganguly praising their timely intervention amid unsafe boating conditions.
