Multan: A rescue boat transporting victims from the village of Darabpur near Jalalpur Pirwala suddenly capsized. According to officials, there were 19 people on board the boat, out of which 18 were safely rescued while one person is still missing and the search for him is underway.
The accident occurred when the rescue team was taking the victims to a safe place. CPO Multan said in a briefing that there were already more people on board than the capacity of the people, and at the same time, one person tried to hang on to the boat, which caused water to enter and the boat to lose balance and capsize. The immediate action of the rescue personnel saved the lives of most of the people; however, one person is missing for whom the search operation is underway.
According to recent reports, local rescue teams, district administration and other relief agencies are engaged in the search operation. Rescue stations, local residents and, if deemed necessary, divers may also participate in the search. The victims were provided with first aid and the injured are being shifted to the nearest medical facility. Some media reports have also reported more similar incidents and loss of life, which indicate the seriousness of the flood situation in the adjacent areas.
The district administration says that a thorough investigation will be conducted into the accident and safety protocols will be further tightened during future such operations — especially instructions will be issued to ensure the capacity of the boats, life jackets, and availability of expert staff. Experts have repeatedly said that the use of substandard or overloaded boats in flood-affected areas proves to be extremely dangerous for human lives.
