Three friends swept away in Hub River tragedy
Rescue 1122 personnel take part in a mock flood-fighting and rescue exercise along the Ravi River in Lahore on Tuesday, as the NDMA issued flood alerts warning of rising water levels in the Sutlej and Ravi rivers due to heavy rainfall and water discharge from India. Photo: APP
What began as a day of leisure - prompted by the intense heat gripping the city - ended in tragedy when three young friends drowned while bathing in the Hub River, sending shockwaves through Karachi's Orangi Town community on Sunday.
According to rescue officials from the Edhi Foundation, the incident occurred during a recreational trip when the youths ventured into the river and were overcome by the current. Emergency teams rushed to the scene upon receiving reports and recovered all three bodies, which were initially shifted to Hub Civil Hospital and later transferred to the Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth.
The deceased were identified as 18-year-old Adeeb, 20-year-old Huzaifa, and Haris, all residents of Orangi Town's Qasba area near an Imambargah. They had reportedly gone to the river with friends when the fatal incident took place.
The tragedy has left families and residents devastated. Funeral prayers for Haris and Huzaifa were offered at Ali Ground, attended by a large number of relatives and locals, while Adeeb's funeral was scheduled to be held later.
The incident serves as a grim reminder of the dangers posed by unchecked swimming in rivers, particularly during strong currents, turning a moment of joy into irreversible loss.