Fourteen die after barge sinks as cyclone batters India's west coast

New Delhi: Fourteen people have died as a barge sank off India's west coast after a powerful cyclone barrelled into the country, authorities said on Wednesday, while Indian navy ships and aircraft scoured waters to locate scores of other missing personnel.

"We can confirm that 14 bodies have been recovered from the rescue operation of barge P305" that sank off the coast of Mumbai, Mehul Karnik, chief public relations officer, Western Naval Command told Reuters. Indian navy ships and aircraft have been scouring the waters off the country's financial capital since Monday when the "P305" and some other vessels went adrift due to the cyclone.