[7][8] The surrounding area has wild animals, including elephants, and is within the 777 square kilometres (300 sq mi) Periyar Tiger Reserve.
Four bodies were noted as missing until 3 October, when three were recovered by Navy divers: four-and-a-half-year-old Aishwarya and her mother Senthilkumari, from Bangalore, and Apoorva, 16, from Hyderabad.
The final missing passenger, Apoorva's 19-year-old brother Abhilash, was discovered on the evening of 3 October by an underwater camera, but bad weather delayed its retrieval until the following day.
[3] The dead included people from Tamil Nadu, Delhi and West Bengal; more than 50 belonged to a group from Karnataka, who had come in a tourist bus to Thekkady as part of a tour to Kerala.
[3] Preliminary reports stated that the accident occurred when a large number of passengers rushed to one side of the boat to see a herd of bison which emerged from the forest.
[7][11] The Pioneer newspaper of Delhi reported "widespread complaints" against both Kerala Government and KTDC "trying to absolve themselves of the guilt by putting the entire blame on the boat employees.
Questioned at the scene on Monday, 5 October, helmsman Victor Samuel (alias Betty) attributed the incident to the sudden movement of tourists, but fellow crew member Aneesh (also written Anish) pointed out the overloading of the upper deck.
[12] Superintendent of Police (Crime Branch) PA Wilson said that "the unwarranted act of driver Victor Samuel [...] swerving the boat while at high speed caused the tragedy".
[6] The Crime Branch did not make a final report, pending further questioning of survivors, but Samuel and Aneesh were arrested, to be taken before the Magistrate Court at Peerumade.
[6] Oommen Chandy, Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, criticized the ongoing Crime Branch probe, alleging an attempt to make the steersman a scapegoat.
[14] The Decclan Herald said that the accident was "a result of sheer negligence",[15] and the Express Buzz said it was "faulty from the start",[16] with excess passengers on unsecured plastic chairs.
[16] Other criticisms include (1) lack of disaster recovery planning and procedures for all departments; and (2) refusal to privatize and insure tourist boats with proper government oversight.