Five people, including children, drowned on Saturday when a Rescue 1122 boat capsized in the Chenab River near Jalalpur Pirwala in Punjab’s Multan district during flood evacuation efforts, officials confirmed.
Multan Deputy Commissioner Wasim Hamid Sindhu and City Police Officer Sadiq Ali Dogar visited the site and received a detailed briefing from rescue officials. DC Sindhu stated that the causes of the accident were being examined, confirming five deaths so far, while ordering the immediate intensification of search operations.
According to Rescue 1122’s initial report, the boat hit a tree and overturned due to strong currents. The report noted that most of the passengers were women and children, and the depth of the river at the site ranged between 15 to 20 feet, making rescue operations difficult.
Four bodies were retrieved while one child remained unaccounted for. Rescue teams continued search operations using line searching and boats to locate the missing child.
CPO Dogar highlighted that darkness and flooded routes were among the initial causes of the tragedy. Rescue 1122 Secretary Dr Rizwan Naseer expressed grief and directed an immediate report submission. Multan Commissioner Aamir Karim Khan also offered condolences to the families of the deceased.
Meanwhile, Punjab PDMA Director General Irfan Kathia emphasized the need for safe evacuation, warning against overloading in both private and rescue boats. He instructed that the best possible medical care be given to the injured.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz took notice of the incident and extended condolences to the affected families.
Officials noted that Rescue 1122 has so far evacuated more than 9,000 people in Multan alone, while across Punjab over 350,000 people and 300,000 animals had been relocated in advance flood relief operations. The tragedy highlights the risks faced during ongoing evacuation efforts in flood-hit areas.
