Neriamangalam, Feb 24, 2020: A 32-year-old Catholic priest died of drowning after a boat capsized in Kerala’s Periyar river.
The mishap occurred at around 6:30 pm on February 23 when Father John Padinjattuvayalil and two other two priests of Kothamangalam diocese were in a boat.
The boat turned upside down due to some disturbance in the water when they were near Avolichal Jeeva Mineral Water Plant in Neriamangalam in Ernakulam district, some 75 km east of Kochi.
Another boat that was close rescued the three from the water, but Father Padinjattuvayalil died before reaching the hospital.
Fathers James Choorathotty, vicar of Inchathotty, and Antony Maliekkal, parish priest of St Thomas Church in Malayinchi were admitted to Dharmagiri Hospital in Kothamangalam.
The body of Father Padinjattuvayalil will reach his house in Randar village in the evening of February 25.
The funeral of Father Padinjattuvyalil is scheduled at 10 am on February 26 at St Michael’s Church, Randar. The priest was one of the two sons of late Jacob Padinjattuvyalil, a retired police officer, and Rosily, a retired teacher.
The deceased priest was an M Phil student of Jesuit-managed St Joseph’s College, Trichy.