Horrific: 50 people, cattle fall into river after boat capsizes

The boat tilted to a side because of uneven distribution of weight

BAHAWALPUR: A boat carrying more than 50 people and cattle in a Bangla Acha police precinct capsized on Tuesday. Police said they had managed to rescue 48 people and had recovered two bodies.

They said the boat had capsized near Kacha Mianwali, Sadiqabad. The passengers had loaded cattle and their household items onto the boat. It had tilted to a side because of uneven distribution of weight and the passengers had fallen into the river. They shouted for help and people at the riverbank informed the police. The cops arrived with boats and started the rescue mission.  Most of the cattle had drowned and the household items had floated away. Police said there were likely more than 50 people on the boat. “We are looking for survivors,” one of the cops on duty said. The rescue mission was underway till this story was filed.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 17^th, 2016.