Baraati boat sinking in Indus River
Date18 July 2022
Time10:00 AM
LocationNear Machchka, Sadiqabad, Rahim Yar Khan District, Punjab, Pakistan
CauseOvercrowding
Deaths50
Missing24

On 18 July 2022, 10:00 AM a Baraati boat sank in Indus River near Machchka in Sadiqabad, Rahim Yar Khan District, Punjab, Pakistan. The number of people killed in the incident is 50, including women and children, and 24 other people are missing. Around 75 people were on board the boat while the operation is on to search for more people who drowned. According to the district administration, the accident occurred due to overcrowding in the boat.[1][2][3][4]

According to the Deputy Commissioner, the wedding procession included two boats, on which more than 150 people, including women and children, were on board. The first boat, which was carrying about 75 people, suddenly capsized and all the people on board fell into the river. 35 of them were rescued by the men on the second boat. Several people were brought to safety by divers, but the women and their children drowned in the river due to fast flowing water.[5]

Rescue operation

Machchka is a very remote area, where it would take two hours to reach the rescue personnel. After two hours when the operation was started, the river flow was found to be very fast. According to the spokesperson of Rescue Punjab, water rescue operation is going on in which 39 divers are participating. The operation was halted on Monday night and resumed on Tuesday. After eight hours of continuous operation on Monday night in the rapid and deep river, the rescue operations were stopped due to the darkness of the night. As soon as the light spread in the morning on Tuesday, the rescue activities were started again.[6][1] Two days later Pakistan army SSG commandos also joined the operation.[7]

Reactions

  • Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz Sharif expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of life in the incident. He directed the local authorities to speed up the rescue operation to search for the missing persons. He has also sought a report from the administration about the accident.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 "Death toll from wedding boat accident tops 50". 20 July 2022. Archived from the original on 21 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  2. ↑ "At least 20 killed, 30 missing after boat capsizes in Pakistan". Archived from the original on 19 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  3. ↑ "SSG commandos join search operation for boat tragedy victim". Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  4. ↑ "Boat carrying wedding party capsizes in Pakistan, killing 20". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Associated Press. 18 July 2022. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409. Archived from the original on 21 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  5. ↑ "20 die as two boats carrying wedding party capsize in Indus River". Archived from the original on 19 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  6. ↑ "دریائے سندھ میں باراتیوں کی کشتی ڈوبنے سے 22 ہلاک، 27 کی تلاش جاری". BBC News اردو. Archived from the original on 19 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  7. ↑ "SSG commandos join search operation for boat tragedy victim". Latest News - The Nation. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  8. ↑ "Boat capsize in Indus, Hamza orders rescue operation". Archived from the original on 19 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
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