Wrong turn: 20 feared dead as racing tractor trolley falls into canal
The bodies of five children were found, search for the rest continues.
DCO Farah Masood said the canal had been closed for the rescue operation. PHOTO: FILE
FAISALABAD:
As many as 20 people are feared to have drowned after a tractor trolley carrying 35 people fell into a canal in Shorkot on Friday. Rescue officials have so far recovered the bodies of five children. They are still searching for the rest of the 15 people, police said.
The vehicle reportedly drove into the canal during a race with another tractor trolley.
More than 50 people had gone to visit the shrine of Baba Sultan in Chak 711 on two tractor trolleys. They were on their way back home in Chak 37 in Shorkot when the two drivers decided to take a shortcut.
Muhammad Jamil, a witness, said the drivers were racing along the canal that had weak banks.
“They were speeding and driving carelessly. Muhammad Riaz, the driver of one of the vehicles, lost control of the wheel and drove into the canal, he told The Express Tribune.
Jamil said Riaz and his brother Muhammad Nasir fled the scene leaving the remaining passengers in a 25-foot-deep canal.
Toba Tek Singh DCO Farah Masood, DPO Shahzad Asif, Shorkot Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Nawaz Gondal rushed to the scene and supervised the rescue operation.
Rescue teams were called from Toba Tek Singh, Jhang and Khanewal to pull the passengers from the canal. Of the five boats brought to rescue the passengers, only two were operational.
Gondal said 20 people had drowned; bodies of five had been recovered. They include seven-year-old Nadia, her 10-year-old sister Salma, seven-year-old Aeysha, seven-year-old Muhammad Nadeem and one-year-old Sher Bahadur.
“The rescue operation is ongoing. We are facing problems due to the dark and lack of proper equipment,” he said.
He said the late closure of the canal had added to difficulties in rescuing the passengers.
Hanif Ahmad, one of the passengers of the tractor trolley, said 35 people were onboard the vehicle when it fell into the canal.
“Fifteen of us succeeded in saving our lives by jumping out of the trolley.” He said 20 people, mostly women and children, drowned.
“I am afraid none of them will be alive eight hours into the tragedy,” he said.
DCO Farah Masood said the canal had been closed for the rescue operation.
“We are doing our best to find the missing people. The operation will hopefully be completed by Saturday morning (today). The deep water and darkness are creating difficulties.”
She said that she could not tell told how many people had died. “We will be able to tell the exact figure once the rescue operation is over,” she told the media.
She said an inquiry had been ordered to fix responsibility for the tragedy.
DPO Shehzad Asif said he had ordered the Arooti station house officer to trace and arrest the driver of the tractor trolley.
“Police, the Irrigation Department, official of Civil Defence Department and Rescue-1122 are taking part in the rescue operation,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2014.
As many as 20 people are feared to have drowned after a tractor trolley carrying 35 people fell into a canal in Shorkot on Friday. Rescue officials have so far recovered the bodies of five children. They are still searching for the rest of the 15 people, police said.
The vehicle reportedly drove into the canal during a race with another tractor trolley.
More than 50 people had gone to visit the shrine of Baba Sultan in Chak 711 on two tractor trolleys. They were on their way back home in Chak 37 in Shorkot when the two drivers decided to take a shortcut.
Muhammad Jamil, a witness, said the drivers were racing along the canal that had weak banks.
“They were speeding and driving carelessly. Muhammad Riaz, the driver of one of the vehicles, lost control of the wheel and drove into the canal, he told The Express Tribune.
Jamil said Riaz and his brother Muhammad Nasir fled the scene leaving the remaining passengers in a 25-foot-deep canal.
Toba Tek Singh DCO Farah Masood, DPO Shahzad Asif, Shorkot Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Nawaz Gondal rushed to the scene and supervised the rescue operation.
Rescue teams were called from Toba Tek Singh, Jhang and Khanewal to pull the passengers from the canal. Of the five boats brought to rescue the passengers, only two were operational.
Gondal said 20 people had drowned; bodies of five had been recovered. They include seven-year-old Nadia, her 10-year-old sister Salma, seven-year-old Aeysha, seven-year-old Muhammad Nadeem and one-year-old Sher Bahadur.
“The rescue operation is ongoing. We are facing problems due to the dark and lack of proper equipment,” he said.
He said the late closure of the canal had added to difficulties in rescuing the passengers.
Hanif Ahmad, one of the passengers of the tractor trolley, said 35 people were onboard the vehicle when it fell into the canal.
“Fifteen of us succeeded in saving our lives by jumping out of the trolley.” He said 20 people, mostly women and children, drowned.
“I am afraid none of them will be alive eight hours into the tragedy,” he said.
DCO Farah Masood said the canal had been closed for the rescue operation.
“We are doing our best to find the missing people. The operation will hopefully be completed by Saturday morning (today). The deep water and darkness are creating difficulties.”
She said that she could not tell told how many people had died. “We will be able to tell the exact figure once the rescue operation is over,” she told the media.
She said an inquiry had been ordered to fix responsibility for the tragedy.
DPO Shehzad Asif said he had ordered the Arooti station house officer to trace and arrest the driver of the tractor trolley.
“Police, the Irrigation Department, official of Civil Defence Department and Rescue-1122 are taking part in the rescue operation,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2014.