Karwar : The Uttara Kannada district administration along with other departments has intensified search operation to locate the two more persons, who went missing after a boat capsized off Karwar coast on Monday.

A total of 14 of the 35 passengers on board had gone missing after the incident.

SS Nakul, deputy commissioner, Uttara Kannada, said that 19 persons have been rescued till now. Search is on to locate Keerti Somappa Belavalakoppa, 7 and Sandeep Parasappa Belavalakoppa, 10, who are still missing. He said helicopters have been pressed into service on Wednesday.

A total 13 members of Belavalakoppa family, hailing from Haveri district had gone to the Jatra in Kumragad island and of them seven drowned and two are missing. On Tuesday, Coastal Security Police, Navy and Coast Guard recovered six bodies. They have been identified as Kiran, 4, Parashuram, 35, Shreyas Pawaskar, 28, Sanjeevini, 14, Soujanya, 12 and Geeta Hulaswar, 23.

The district administration has sent the detailed report to the government about the mishap and district administration will deal sternly with persons who were responsible for the incident. Police have recovered 24 life jackets from the capsized boat, but the driver and the owner of the boat had not asked the people to wear them. The boat had capacity to carry 28 persons, including the crew members, but on the fateful day, a total of 35 persons were on the boat said Nakul.

Nakul said that the incident is being investigated from three angles. Only survivors would be able to give coherent information but they are still under shock, he said. He said that the boat owner had all valid documents. Vinayak Patil, Superintendent of Police said that police have registered a case under IPC 304 against boat owner Dayanand Jadhav and driver Ranganath Chopdekar. The case is being investigated and details cannot be divulged he said.