Barati boat capsized in Indus River: 20 bodies including 19 women recovered
Officials of the rescue department in Pakistan's Punjab province say that the search is on for 29 people who drowned in a boat full of Baratis capsized in the Indus River.
The bodies of 20 of the people who died in the accident that occurred in Machhka area of Rahim Yar Khan district on Monday have been recovered so far, out of which 19 are women.
According to the spokesperson of Rescue Punjab, a water rescue operation is going on in Machhka in which 39 divers are participating. The operation was halted on Monday night and resumed on Tuesday.
According to the district administration, the accident occurred due to overcrowding in the boat.
According to Deputy Commissioner Musa Raza, the people of Solangi Bheri of the neighboring village of Machhka, located on the coast of the Indus River, were traveling in the Indus River with a procession.
According to the Deputy Commissioner, the procession included two boats, on which more than 150 people, including women and children, were on board.
He said that a boat, carrying around 75 people, suddenly capsized and all the people on board fell into the river.
According to Deputy Commissioner Musa Raza, 35 of them were rescued by the riders of another boat, while the bodies of 19 women have been recovered so far and in search of the rest, the rescue operation is going on.
The rescue spokesperson told the media that the men in the other boat rescued the people under their own help. Many people were brought to safety by divers, but the women drowned in the river due to the flow of water and may have had children with them. Rescue operation is going on.
As soon as the news of this sad incident was received by the police station Machchka, the officials in the police station called back the officials who had gone on leave and reached the area with a heavy contingent.
The survivors have been taken to a safe place and provided with water and food.
Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz has expressed regret to the family members over this incident and has sought a report from the district government While those who have survived have also been directed to provide the best medical assistance.
It took two hours to reach the rescue
According to District Rescue Officer Rahim Yar Muhammad Shafiq, twenty bodies have been recovered by nightfall. He told journalist Mohammad Zubair that according to an estimate, a total of 94 people were on board the boat. Out of which 45 people have been safe. 29 people are still missing in it. Most of these missing people include women and children. Twenty bodies have been recovered. Including mostly women and children.
According to Muhammad Shafiq, the boat sinking accident happened at ten in the morning. This is a very remote area. Where it would take two hours to reach the rescue personnel. The path was very difficult. After two hours when the operation was started, the river flow was found to be very fast.
He said that the rescue operations have been stopped due to the darkness of the night after the operation continued for eight hours due to the rapid flow of the river and the depth. As soon as the light spread in the morning, the rescue activities were started again.
According to Mohammad Shafiq, some forty men of Rescue are participating in this operation. The river flow is very fast.
According to Mohammad Shafiq, according to our initial estimates, the reason for the sinking of the boat was that it was carrying more people than it could handle. Also, when the boat reached the fast and deep river, it experienced some jolts as usual which caused panic among the women and children on board the boat.
According to Muhammad Shafiq, "Due to the chaos caused by the women and children, the boat swayed and then the water entered through the wooden planks and the boat sank in the deep and fast water."
However, he said that the real facts will come out only after investigation by the investigating agencies.
According to initial reports, it was going from Machka area of Sadiqabad tehsil of Rahimyar district to Baratkharur area. According to Master Ghulam Haider, a resident of Kharo, he was among those who brought the procession and welcomed the procession.
He explains that all the procession bearers and those who welcome the procession belong to the Solangi tribe. We people were informed that Barati is coming from the river route while the bridegroom and his close friends are coming from Aziz road. We thought that those traveling by river would arrive sooner, while the road journey was long and took about five or six hours.
According to Master Ghulam Haider, around 10:30 or 10:30, the information was received that the accident had occurred. After which all the preparations for the reception of the procession were left in abeyance. On this occasion, the boys were playing traditional Sindhi dance and music etc. and waiting for the arrival of the procession to celebrate together.
He said that all the preparations for this saree were left behind. After which people went to the crime scene in chaos.
According to Masar Ghulam Haider, all the people in the boat are dear, relatives and belong to the same tribe. Second, many blood relatives have also lost their lives in this accident. He had children with many women. The details of which are slowly coming out.
This bloody accident has devastated many families. The entire tribe and region of Pura has been bereaved.