A houseboat with tourists from Tamil Nadu capsized at Kanitta jetty in Kuttanad in the early hours of Saturday.
All the three passengers and crew escaped unhurt, but a local resident drowned while trying to retrieve the belongings of the passengers from the submerged vessel.
The deceased was identified as Prasannan (Arjun 63), of Kainakary.
The one-bedroom boat 'Karthika', which was anchored at the jetty capsized around 5 a.m. The visitors who were sleeping woke up after water entered the bedroom and soaked the bed. The trio along with the crew soon managed to reach the quay safely.
Later in the morning, the boat crew sought the help of Prasannan to salvage the belongings of the passengers left behind in the craft. He retrieved one bag from the capsized boat and jumped again into the water to bring the rest of the things. Officials said that he died after being trapped in the corridor of the houseboat. His body was recovered after Fire and Rescue Services personnel raised the sunken vessel and cut open its upper portion.
Officials said the vessel had operated without mandatory license and certificates.
