A boat has capsized in southern India, killing at least 21 people, authorities have said.

The vessel, which was carrying about 40 passengers, overturned near the town of Tanur in the Malappuram district of Kerala state.

Police think it was overcrowded when it got into trouble at around 7pm local time on Sunday.

About 10 passengers were being treated in several hospitals.

Officials said they feared that some people might be still missing.

Kerala’s minister for fisheries and harbour development V Abdurahiman told reporters that the boat was stuck in muddy waters and attempts were being made to pull it out.

A team from the National Disaster Response Force was at the site, a Kerala State Disaster Management Authority spokesperson said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Pained by the loss of lives due to the boat mishap in Malappuram, Kerala.”

Related posts:

‘We miss the British’: Eerily quiet Portugal looks ahead to influx of flights tomorrow morning Woman claims she and two Uighurs were held in secret Chinese detention facility in Dubai UK, Australia and US agree partnership to boost defences and share nuclear submarine secrets A full invasion of Ukraine by Russia could trigger World War Three, warns Ukrainian minister Minister acted correctly in cancelling Djokovic’s visa, Australian court says Prince Andrew’s social media accounts shut down and set to private Former pope Benedict failed to act on four cases of sexual abuse, report finds Austria to make COVID jabs mandatory – and police will check vaccination status Russians control ‘around 70%’ of key Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk, governor says Under-fire minister to be questioned over Champions League final chaos Lineker says he knows two gay Premier League stars and hopes they will come out at Qatar World Cup Briton arrested after ‘hiding Russian yacht by changing its name from Tango to Fanta’